A Raven's Wing
by WitchOfDarkness13
Summary: Four boys, each a brilliant pinprick of light. Except for one who is darker than the others. Not from a condition, but from blood. The other three would never understand. And that's where I come in. Marauders era fic. OC with Sirius shuffled in.
1. Chapter One

_**AN/ To anyone who has read the previous version of A Raven's Wing, here is the new one. I think it is better written than the original and I am quite pleased with the product of current. While I am still writing future chapters, I have enough done that I feel I can begin publishing. To anyone who has not read my previous version, welcome to my madness. I hope you enjoy my story.**_

I frown as I reread the definition and the instructions to the _mens iritants_ spell. It reminds me of another spell that I'd learned recently, but I can't remember which one.

"Annalisa Artemis!" Mother shouts, her voice similar to nails on a chalk board.

I frown, but climb the stairs to the ground floor of the house. Mother is most likely to be in the drawing room, the main room she lives in other than the kitchen. As I enter the room, I give her a bow and stand opposite her. Mother's hair is pulled into a tight bun on the back of her head, greys only just showing. Her eyes, the same shape as mine, are cold and unfeeling as she watches me.

"Yes mother?" I ask. I don't need to set off her tempter, not right now.

Mother frowns, and I know she disapproves of my clothes but it's not like we're expecting company today. "You have receives your Hogwarts letter."

I accept the letter, thank her, and leave the room. It takes a lot for me not to sprint or jump for joy. When I'm out of her sight however, I do a happy dance all the way through the house and back down into my room, chanting under my breath.

"I am going to Hogwarts! I am going to Hogwarts! I'm gonna go to Hogwarts!" I flop onto my bed and open the letter. Other than who it's addressed to, it's the exact same letter my elder sister, Tessa, received six years previously. This is her last year at Hogwarts, and I'm hoping to avoid her as much as possible. She's a bit of a pain, but I expect all sisters are like that. My other sibling, Rowan, is going to be two years below me and he's already throwing fits about not being able to go.

I pin my letter to my cork board and glance at the clock. Sighing, I grab my sword and head for the dueling room. Only a month and a half until I'm on the Hogwarts express. One month until, what seems to be, a rather good adventure.

~*~AG~*~

I brush the soot off of me as I exit the fireplace in the Leaky Cauldron. We've only a couple of days until September first and I had been starting to think that I should just sneak out and buy my own supplies.

"Come along Annalisa, you are going to be fitted for robes while your father and I buy your books and potions supplies," Mother says.

I follow her as she leads me into and down Diagon Alley. I've been here before, so I don't end up gaping at the stores and everything around me. As that thought crosses my mind, I see a red haired girl looking around with wide eyed delight. I bite my lip to avoid chuckling as I think, '_Mudblood_.'

Mother leaves me at Madam Malkin's and I sigh as I enter the shop. "Hello? Is anyone here?"

"Yes, come on to the back dear," Madam Malkin calls, "I've been waiting for you Ann."

I smile and walk to the back where measurements are being taken. Madam Malkin and I have become good acquaintances over the many times I've been stuck in her shop waiting for one thing or another.

"Hello Madam Malkin," I say when I find her. She's working on measuring a tawny haired honey eyed boy about my age, "How are you?"

"Same as always. Alive and smiling," She says, "Step on a stool, I can already tell you've grown. Dear, I'll be right back, I've got to grab a few things."

I turn to the boy, "Hello, I'm Ann."

"Remus," he says, "Do you go to Hogwarts?"

"First year, you?"

"Same. I'm glad I was accepted, for a while there my parents and I were scared I wouldn't get a letter," Remus says.

I nod, "I know a couple of other people who were scared about the same thing."

Remus blinks, "Really?"

"Of course. There's always someone worried that they quote unquote aren't magical enough," I shrug, "There's pretty much no such thing as not magical enough. Yeah, people have different power levels, but Hogwarts accepts anyone who wants and can pay for it, and even if they can't pay for it there's a fund set up for those students."

"Right," Remus says. I notice from the corner of my eye that he seems to berate himself for a moment before smiling again, "What house do you think you'll be in?"

"If family tradition holds, probably Slytherin," I say, unable to help the small frown that crosses my face, "I have enough cunning, but I don't know about ambition. Maybe Ravenclaw. I don't think mother or father would mind Ravenclaw. Besides, they're the ones who always teased me about being a bookworm. What about you?"

Remus gives a small shrug, "I don't know. My mum was a Hufflepuff and my dad was a Ravenclaw, so I might end up in Ravenclaw as well. It helps that I'm also pretty smart."

"Maybe we'll be in the same house then!" I can't hide my excitement at possibly knowing someone who might be in my possible house. Remus seems to sense this and grins. We keep talking while Madam Malkin and one of her assistants finish with our measurements and both of them flick their wands, allowing the robes to automatically sew together and fold themselves. From what I've heard, that's a specialty charm that Madam Malkin uses that was made for her by someone in her family.

"All right dears, you're free to go," the seamstress says.

I nod, "Thank you Madam Malkin. Have a good day!"

"You too Ann!"

The bell jingles overhead and I grin at Remus, "So are you meeting your parents somewhere or are you free for a little bit?"

"Mum said that I have to meet them at the bookshop right after I finish with my robes," Remus says, then shrugs, "I guess I'll see you on the train then?"

"Definitely! See you on the first!" With that, we head in our separate directions. I bite my lip and try to find either mother or father. Luckily, I see father just ahead of me walking down the alley. His pace is kind of brisk and he is obviously trying not to attract too much attention. I follow him, thinking that I'll eventually catch up and will be able to ask him when I'm getting my wand. We walk through the street until a turn that leads into Knockturn Alley, which he takes. I frown, but still follow. I know my family is more into the Dark Arts than most. They've been teaching me how to identify and use Dark magic since I was five after all. However, I didn't think that father would go into Knockturn Alley. The place, though it does have quite a few stores with…less than legal items, it's more for the common criminal than anything else. There are other places to buy books or supplies. Then again, maybe he needs them right away. I pull up the hood of my cloak and tap the family crest twice, allowing the embroidered coat of arms to disappear.

I hide in a small cranny near where father has stopped and make sure to blend in with the shadows as much as possible. It's a trick that I've learned from watching father and his brothers use it. It's not that hard, just bending your magic to hide you. But I know most people wouldn't be able to use it in the same way that our family does. Most people have lighter magic than our family.

"Gerladim, it's good to see you again." A man says as he walks up to father.

Father frowns, "I care not for pleasantries at the moment. We have business to attend to and I do not wish my absence to be noted by my youngest daughter. She is too curious for her own good."

"Of course, of course," the man says, "You were looking for certain…rituals…that aren't necessarily of…er…legal standing."

Father's shoulders become stiff, a sure sign that he's becoming annoyed, "I understand that. You _were_ able to find them, yes?"

The man twitches, "Yes, of course. You have the payment correct?"

Father pulls out a bag and holds it out to the man. When the man goes to grab it, father pulls it back. "The rituals."

The man scowls before handing father a book and taking the money. Once the transaction is done, the man leaves. Father flips through the book before turning and leaving the alley. As he walks past me, I hold my breath and hope he can't tell that I'm there. If he can, I don't want to think of what will happen. Luck seems to be on my side when he walks right past me and back into Diagon Alley. Once he's past, I release my breath and wait a few moments before following him back into the Alley. I find where my family is at and allow myself to be visible again.

"Mother, father, may I get my wand now?" I ask.

Mother turns to answer me and her eyes narrow, "Annalisa Artemis, why is your family crest not visible?"

I glance down and almost hit my head at my stupidity. I can't believe that I forgot to make my family crest visible again. I tap it twice before glancing at mother, "I apologise mother, I hadn't realised that it was invisible. A couple of people had bumped into me and that must have activated the charm."

"Very well, try to see it does not happen again," Mother says, her eyes still narrow, "Come along, we shall buy your wand and see if there is an animal worthy of being your familiar."

I don't say anything. It's better for me to just go along with her on something like that. It's bad enough that I lied to her. If she ever found out, I would be severely punished. That's one thing that my family cannot stand, people, especially family, lying to them. Though, it doesn't help that a lot of family members become Occlumens and are able to hide if they're lying really well. The fact that a lot of family members are also good Legillamins doesn't make it into family conversations either, now that I think about it.

The bell jingles overhead as we walk into Ollivander's. It's a bit dusty in here and I remember being a little spooked by Ollivander. Then again the weird tingle in the air probably doesn't help much either.

"Welcome Lord and Lady Grimwood," Ollivander says as he walks in, "How may I help the Noble and Ancient house of Grimwood this day?"

"Our youngest daughter requires a wand. We seek the same services for her that we received as children," mother says.

Ollivander nods, "Yes, Celestia Grimwood. Hawthorn with dragon heartstring, nine and a quarter inches, quite stiff. And of course, Gerladim Grimwood. Red Oak with a unicorn hair, eleven and three quarters inches, minutely flexible. Though, if what I hear is correct, your wand core has since been replaced, and not by me."

Father merely nods.

"Annalisa Grimwood, wand yet unknown," Ollivander says, "Let us now find that out, shall we? Which is your wand arm?"

"Right."

Ollivander gets his tape to start measuring while he mutters to himself and pulls boxes from the shelves. After a few moments I brush the tape measure away from me because it was trying to measure the inside of my ear. Ollivander walks over with some boxes and taps the measure, sending it into a drawer in his desk.

"Here we go, Oak and dragon heartstring, ten inches." I flick the wand and watch the mirror behind him break. "Not the one."

He keeps trying, using different wands and either they get the same effect, or he snatches them away before I can even try them. We've gone through quite a few boxes and yet he keeps smiling. In fact, his smile gets wider and I can't help but wonder if he's a little crazy. I groan when we surpass ten wands and then eleven and then twelve.

"Am I ever going to find a wand?" I mutter.

Ollivander smiles at me, "Miss Grimwood, we shall definitely find you a wand. Try this. Dragon heartstring, ash, thirteen and three quarters inches and slightly springy."

I bite my lip before taking the wand. The moment my fingers touch the wood, a feeling of warmth travels up my arm and I smile. Giving my wand a flick, a purple circle of smoke leaves the tip and I can't help but grin. Ollivander's eyebrows raise ever so slightly, but still he grins.

"As I said, we shall definitely find you a wand," Ollivander says, "And indeed we have."

A couple of minutes later and I leave Ollivanders with my wand in a holster and a grin on my face. Even my mother glaring at me for my public display of happiness, something she says is not appropriate for someone of my stature, I really cannot find it in myself to care. I have a wand! And with that, I can do _so_ much magic. Look out Hogwarts, here I come!


	2. Chapter Two

"ANNALISA ARTEMIS WAKE UP!"

I shoot up in bed, wincing slightly at the aggravation the move brings to my bruise on my ribs. It's September first. It's. September. First! I give a short whoop before getting out of bed and start getting dressed. Since we're apparating right onto Platfor don't have to worry about if I look like a muggle, but I don't want to be in my uniform just yet. That would just look too odd, even for me.

When I finish dressing, being sure to brush some spare lint off of my trousers, I grab my trunk and climb the stairs. Thank Merlin that father had placed a feather-lite charm upon the trunk or else I wouldn't be able to drag it from my room. I set the trunk in the entry way next to Tessa's before going to the dining room for some breakfast. By the time I'm done with my bangers, mother is ushering me from the room and to my trunk, which she then shrinks and hands to my father. He places it in his pocket, grabs my shoulder and disapperates. I clench my teeth and count in my head, bending my knees slightly so I don't fall with the impact of the landing.

When we've arrived, I look around with wide eyes and a smile twitching at the corner of my lips. I can't believe that I'm here. After all these years of watching Tessa get to leave and feeling, honestly, jealous, I cannot believe that I finally get to go. Of course, the tutors mother and father hired for the last few years for Rowan and me have helped us with the basics, but it will be nice to interact with some other children who are my age and not related to me. I wonder if that Remus kid is here yet?

"Annalisa, you are to do well in school. Your father and I are…concerned that you may be improperly influenced at Hogwarts. You will do well once you are in Slytherin, understand?" mother asks.

I nod, holding back a sigh. I'd asked them earlier if they would mind me not being in Slytherin, and their reactions were not quite conductive to the confidence I'd need to get into another house, even Ravenclaw.

"You are an intelligent girl and are due your position at the top of Slytherin," mother says, "If you are careful, you may even overtake your sister's position within Slytherin. Use this time to your advantage to make the connections you need."

Again I nod. In other words, do what is expected of you and we'll give you a nice pat on the head and a lolly. Mother starts talking with Tessa while father pulls me off to the side.

"Annalisa, I do not want you to fall behind on your dueling. Knowledge of the sword is incredibly important as is physical defense and attack. Our family has prided itself for generations in its abilities in combat. I expect you to do the same. Your sister may be the eldest, but I am currently favoring you as the heir, so do not prove me incorrect in this," father says. He hands me a small ring box.

I look inside and chew my bottom lip. The heir ring of the family Grimwood is settled in the box, the dark garnet—almost blood like—jewel glittering within the silver setting. I put the ring on my finger and tap it twice, allowing it to turn invisible. When I notice my father's look, I quickly think of an answer, "I don't think it would be advisable for people to see this prematurely."

Father nods and steers me back to mother. They start to talk with some random cousin or another and I just watch the different people in the station. It's amazing all the different ways people interact with one another. Particularly parents and children. They seem so…attached. It's something I've noticed every time I've come here. And yet, I wonder if their way is better? I glance at mother and father. At most they place a hand upon our shoulders, and even then it's only to steer us in the direction they wish to go. The only other time I have ever come into physical contact with either of them is when father is teaching me or if we're sparring. And yet, there are other children who have parents that hug them, kiss their cheek, and even just place a comforting—at least I would assume that it's comforting—arm upon their shoulders. Does that really matter? I give a minimal shrug and try to tune into the conversation going on around me again. However it is incredibly dull and I end up watching the other people on the platform.

"Mother," I say, finally getting bored and noticing that it's close to eleven, "If you no longer need me, I shall be boarding the train."

Mother nods, "Very well Annalisa. I expect a letter from you by the end of the week informing us about how you are faring within Slytherin."

I bow and leave, glad that father had already given me my trunk and had told me how to unshrink it. Moving through the other families, I climb the train and look for an empty compartment. I manage to find one near the back that is empty and doesn't have anyone's things in it. I place my trunk on the overhead rack and unshrink it. Grabbing a book from my trunk, I settle down by the window and try to start reading. However, I'm a little too excited and start looking for something a little more entertaining to do. I glance out the window, and when I can't see mother or father or Tessa, I smile and pull out my wand and cast a small charm. A dark purple mist comes from my wand and takes the form of a wolf. Another couple of charms and there's a black and brown wolf on the chair alongside the other one. Soon all three of them are playing and I try to see how much I can direct them. The purple and black one are tussling when someone knocks at and opens the door. I look up and grin.

"Remus, hi! We met at Madam Malkin's remember?" I ask.

Remus smiles, "Yes, I was hoping you would too. I've got nowhere else to sit, and was wondering if there's a seat free in your compartment?"

"You can have your pick of seats," I say, "I'm the only one in here."

"Ok." He takes a couple of minutes to set up his trunk, not even needing assistance so I assume either his mother or father also placed a feather-lite charm upon the item. When he's settled into a seat, a book in hand, he grins at me. "So how was your summer after we separated?"

I shrug, "Not too bad. Though I found out that mother and father will be highly…disappointed…if I don't end up in Slytherin. I kind of hate that because I really think I could do better in Ravenclaw. Of course, I kind of don't have a choice with that one."

"Well, even if they're disappointed, they'll get over it and they'll still love you," Remus says.

_'I hope so, they tend not to take failure to adhere to their wishes rather poorly,'_ I grin, "Probably. What about your summer?"

Remus grins, "It was fantastic! Mum and pa took me and my siblings to Rome. It was nice to see the different historical monuments."

"Would you happen to have a twin?" I ask, smirking.

"No, I don't," Remus says, "But if I did, I don't doubt that they'd have named him Romulus. I've got two younger sisters, Helen and Persephone."

I flinch a little, "Oooh, I bet she'll be happy with her name when she's older."

"Probably not. We call her Pep. Helen is actually younger than Persephone and she couldn't pronounce our sister's name so Helen called her Pep. The name stuck, so we all call her that now." Remus glances at his book before setting it off to the side, "What about you, do you have any siblings?"

"One older and one younger. My sister, who's older, is Tessa. This is her last year at Hogwarts. My younger brother, Rowan, is two years behind us and is very upset he has to wait," I shrug, "I'm really not too close to either of them anymore. We were close as kids, but I'm a little too inquisitive for my own good and read more than they do."

Remus nods, "I kind of understand. My sisters are closer to each other, but they're both within a year of each other. I'm five years older than Persephone, so it's a bit of a difference. Everyone in our house loves books though. We all have our own bookshelves."

"Oh, that would be nice. Then again, I can't complain much, my family has its own library of sorts. Though, not all of the books are exactly children friendly if you get my drift. At any rate, I can't wait for classes to start." I glance at the door when I see someone standing there, hesitant. The boy is blonde, short, and has kind of watery blue eyes.

"Can we help you?" Remus asks. I'm amazed at how soft and kind his voice is. It's like he's talking to a frightened animal.

The boy bites his lip, "Can I sit here?"

I nod, "Sure, we've got plenty of room. It's only the two of us so far."

The boy gives a small smile, "Thanks. I'm Peter Pettigrew."

"Remus Lupin."

"Ann Grimwood." Both boys stare at me slightly and I huff, "What? So I'm a Grimwood. You were getting along with me perfectly fine a moment ago."

Remus grins, "Of course. Sorry, it's just a shock. I don't often meet a member of a Noble and Ancient family."

"Lucky you," I mutter, "Most of them tend to be annoyingly arrogant. And that includes the children."

Peter frowns, "I've heard there are a couple of good Noble and Ancient families."

"Well yeah. There are the Potters, the Bones-es, the Longbottoms, and a couple of others I can't remember at the moment." I bite my lip and run through the list in my head, "The Prewitts are too young and the Weasleys are too poor. The Finnegans keep marrying half bloods, and I can't think of any family that is considered good that would qualify."

"So how many kids on this train do you actually know?" Remus asks.

"Umm…not including myself? Three."

"Really?"

"Yep."

Peter blinks, "Wouldn't you know the other family's kids?"

"No, when I meet other members of the Nobel and Ancient Houses, they tend to be the adults."

We start talking about various other things. School and Quidditch seem to be really popular, though I think I scare the two boys a little when I tell them that my favorite professional team is the Falmouth Falcons. I've always loved a good beater. We grab some sweets from the trolley and are in the middle of eating when a knock sounds at our door.

"Open," Remus says since both Peter and I have food in our mouths. A red haired girl and a black haired boy walk in. They look to be around the same age as the three of us and I move my book onto the overhead rack.

"Hello," I say after swallowing some chocolate, "Something wrong?"

The girl sighs, "A couple of boys in our last compartment were making fun of Sev, so we left to find someplace better."

I nod, "You're welcome here. I'm Ann, this is Remus, and that's Peter."

"I'm Lily and this is Severus," the red head says, "We're first years."

"So are we," Peter says, a little more relaxed now that he knows they're the same age as us.

The boy called Severus nods, "What house do you think you'll be in?"

"Ravenclaw," Remus says, "Maybe Gryffindor, but I think my bookishness will win out over anything else the Hat could see in me."

Peter shrugs, "I don't know. My mum was a Hufflepuff and my dad was a Slytherin. My grandparents were Gryffindors and Ravenclaws, so I could go anywhere. I just hope I have nice dorm mates."

"If family precedence dictates, then I'll be a Slytherin. If not I could end up in Ravenclaw, which I don't think would be too bad, but I'm almost a shoe in for Slytherin," I say.

Lily smiles, "You're not the first person who said their family were Slytherins. That boy seemed about as excited as you are about it."

I shrug, "It's what's expected of me, so I don't know what I'll do if I get into another House. Hope my parents don't kill me I guess."

"Well, good luck to you then. I just want to be in the same house as Severus. It'll be nice to have someone who's already a friend in the same house," Lily says.

Severus nods, "I'm hoping for Slytherin. Cunning and ambition seem to be more useful than some of the other house traits, except perhaps wit."

I don't say anything, but I can't help but think that the other houses have valuable traits too. Courage and loyalty, especially. But then again, if I want mother and father to not be upset with me, then I really should just embrace being a Slytherin. During this time, there's an announcement saying that there are only twenty minutes until we're in Hogsmeade. The five of us disperse to change and I'm one of the first ones done and back into the compartment. The door slides open again and Severus enters. When he sees me, his eyes narrow slightly.

"So are you going to say which family you're from?" he asks.

I blink, "What does that matter?"

"Because," he says, "every member of a Noble and Ancient house I've met has been stuck up and prudish and I'm surprised that you haven't run screaming at what you probably consider scum sitting with you."

I feel my temper flare and clamp down on it. That's one thing that mother and father had taught me at a young age. I'd always had a worse temper than my siblings, and they'd had to teach me to control it. "Just because I am from a Noble and Ancient family does not mean I act the same way that they do."

"I find that hard to believe?"

"Really? Why?"

"Let's just say I have experience."

My eyes narrow, "Which family?"

"The Prince family."

"The Prince family?" I hold back a scoff, "Believe me when I say that they are not even known for their etiquette amongst the Noble and Ancient families. The Princes are only a Noble family, and even then their status is questionable."

Severus glares, "And there's the attitude I was expecting from someone raised in such _prestige_ as you."

"Do yourself a favor," I growl, my teeth clenched together, "Do not annoy me further, unless you want me to try out a couple of spells that I was taught specially."

"Go ahead, I know just as many."

"That, I highly doubt."


	3. Chapter Three

**AN/ Hey everyone, sorry it's taken so long for me to update. I've had a bunch of things to do and just found out that if I really want to be a certified teacher(still not sure about that) then I need 34 more credit hours*sigh*. So here's the next chapter, hopefully I'll be able to update again soon.**

The door opens and Remus walks in, only to stop when he's barely in the door. He glances between the two of us before frowning, "Ann, are you alright?"

I take a couple of deep breaths, nodding. I need to calm down. I can't lose my temper and curse him, as good as that would feel. I place my things back into my trunk and sit in my seat, facing the window and wondering if we'll get to Hogsmeade soon or if I'll have a chance to hex this bloody idiot's robes pink. The train starts to slow and I almost groan. I'd been hoping I'd get a chance to hex him.

"Come on, let's get to a door so we can get off," Remus says.

I nod and follow the boy to a door. Of course, I can't help but open the top door and watch as the town slowly scrolls by. Little shops and houses with various decorations celebrating fall up. The leaves have only just begun to change colour on a couple of trees, but I still can't wait, knowing that my favorite season is upon us. The train finally stops and Remus and I jump off before we're over run by the other people here.

"Firs' years! Firs' years over 'ere!"

Remus chuckles, "I guess we go that way."

"Then lead on my fair friend," I say, then glance over my shoulder and notice that Peter's looking a little lost, "Hey Peter! Hurry up!"

The boy sees me and runs to catch up while Remus and I walk along. I never realised how short Peter is on the train, but both Remus and I are at least a good half head taller than him. I grin at the boy and then face the front. My eyes widen at the sight of who is calling the first years and I wonder if this is some sort of joke.

The man is huge. At least a good eight feet tall with hands and feet that could easily squash one of us first years. His hair and beard are both black and extremely tangled and wild looking. However, when I see that he's smiling and that his eyes are crinkled with said smile, I relax a little. I can tell that Peter is scared of him, but there's nothing that I can do about that. Remus, on the other hand, seems amused by the man and has a slight smirk on his face. Someone jostles me and I turn to see who it is and if I need to glare at them.

A boy with black hair and grey eyes notices that I've turned to him, "Sorry, I was pushed from behind."

I nod, "It's fine."

Before I can chat with him more, the man in front starts moving and we're all jogging to keep up with him. Either this is his first time escorting the first years, or he doesn't realise how much longer his steps are than ours. We arrive at a dock with some small boats waiting for us.

"Four to a boat, an' no more," the man says before taking up an entire boat himself.

Remus, Peter, and I sit in a boat and we're joined by a girl with chestnut hair and blue eyes.

"Hi! I'm Marlene," she says.

I grin at how friendly she is and decide that I like her, "Nice to meet you. I'm Ann, and this is Remus and Peter."

The boys wave as they're introduced and Marlene grins.

"I'm so excited! I don't even want to think of what house I'll be in, I'm just enjoying the moments as they pass," Marlene says.

"That seems to be the best way," I say.

Peter bites his lip, "At this moment, the only thing I care about is getting across this lake or whatever it is. I can't swim."

"I doubt that we'll fall in, and even if we do, try to get as much air in your lungs before going underwater," Remus says, "That should help you float."

The boat lurches forward and I glance up at the stars, naming a couple of them and thinking of the myths that go along with them. A little bit into the trip, I hear commotion in the boat next to us and glance over. The black haired boy who'd bumped into me earlier is in that boat with Severus, Lily, and another boy with black hair—though his honestly looks like a bird's nest—and glasses. A moment later, their boat tips over and throws them into the water. Unfortunately, their boat tips in such a way that it catches the one that Remus, Peter, Marlene, and I are in and we all end up in the water as well. I feel disoriented for a moment before swimming for the surface.

The moment I break the water, I can hear Remus's voice.

"—seen Peter?"

"Peter's missing?" I ask. When he nods, I take a breath before diving back under water. If he can't swim and hasn't come back up yet, then there are a couple of possible problems. Either he hit his head on the boat, or he swallowed water, panicked and then let out his breath causing him to swallow more water. Either way, it's not a good thing.

I glance to my left and happen to see something white and swim toward it. Sure enough, it's Peter. I grab his arm and start to pull him to the surface. As I'm struggling, I feel someone brush next to me and a moment later, the weight is easier. From the corner of my eye I can see someone else helping me, but don't dare get a full look in case it distracts me. After what feels like minutes, but is probably seconds, we finally break surface and I gasp for breath. The boats are upright again, and me and the mystery person lift Peter into a boat that has only Remus in it, then we climb in. Laying on my back on one of the benches, I listen as Peter sputters, gasping for breath. I glance over and see the black haired grey eyed boy watching me.

I offer him my hand, "Ann."

He gives a weak grin, "Sirius."

"A pleasure meeting you, though it could have been better," I say, "thanks for the help."

He nods, but stays quiet. For the rest of the ride, the four of us are quiet, the only sound coming from our dripping clothing. When we arrive at the castle, I'm slightly chilled by the night air and hope that someone will place either drying charms or a heating charm on us. If they don't I'm going to talk with an older student and have them do it.

"If I get sick because someone's too idiotic to use simple drying and heating charms, I am not going to be impressed," Sirius mutters.

"You too, huh?" I ask, keeping my voice low.

He nods, "Oh, and I really am sorry about bumping into you earlier."

I shrug, "No harm no fowl."

The man knocks at the door and a woman with a tight black bun and emerald robes opens the door.

"The firs' years Professor McGonagall," the man says.

Professor McGonagall nods, "Thank you Hagrid. Follow me."

She leads us through the doors and into what I would assume is the Entrance Hall into a tiny room. I end up squished between Remus and Peter, with Sirius right behind me, muttering about lack of space and other things.

"Oh, kindly be quiet, would you?" I ask. I don't want to offend anyone quite yet, but especially not the boy who so willingly helped me help Peter. He frowns but nods. Professor McGonagall gives a speech about your house being your family and is about to leave when I get an idea. I raise my hand, "Professor?"

She turns back to me, eyebrows raised, "Yes?"

"Would you be able to charm our clothes dry?" I motion to the eight of us who ended up wet, "I don't think any of us want a cold before school begins."

She nods, casts the charm and then leaves.

Remus grins, "Thanks, this is much better!"

"I'm just surprised I'm the only one who thought to ask when it looked like she was leaving."

"I think everyone else is worried about the sorting."

"Probably. It seems silly to worry about it now."

"And it wasn't silly to worry about a couple of hours ago?"

"It still was, but I don't think any of us, well, except Peter, were really worrying."

Remus chuckles, "Whatever you say Ann."

I'm about to retort when Professor McGonagall reappears and leads us into the Great Hall. We walk toward the front and I barely suppress a grin at the sight of the candles floating in the air, of the ceiling, and of all the little details that make the Great Hall spectacular. My eyes catch sight of Tessa sitting among the other seventh year Slytherins. She's sitting next to a girl with curly black hair and grey eyes that look familiar. If Tessa wasn't here, I'd be grinning like a loon. We stop in front of a three legged stool with a worn hat upon it. Everyone becomes quiet all at once, as if a hidden signal was given and a moment later the brim of the hat opens.

"_Come one come all and listen to what I've to say,  
For it was long ago that I was born.  
In the magic of an ancient day,  
Godric Gryffindor pulled off the hat he's worn.  
His friends looked at him puzzled and confused,  
What was the use of a hat they surely must have mused.  
When we have gone who will sort the students? Godric asked.  
We must find something that is unbiased.  
So in a moment they placed inside the values they did cherish.  
From kind Hufflepuff came loyal dedication,  
Those who value friendship, their bonds never perish.  
For those who value an education,  
Intelligent Ravenclaw gave an oasis for those with wit.  
Slytherin knew what must be done,  
So a house of cunning is what he found fit.  
And finally for Gryffindor he wanted lots of fun,  
Found that those with lots of nerve were the best.  
Now come up here and take a seat,  
And I will find where your heart may rest."_

Everyone in the hall applauds and the hat gives a bow to each table before becoming still. I rock back and forth on my feet a couple of times before stopping. I glance at the green and silver table, nodding at Tessa, and wondering how comfortable the Slytherin beds are. Hopefully I'll be able to sleep soon, swimming in full robes and hauling another first year from the lake is tiring business.

The call of "Black, Sirius!" pulls me from my thoughts and I raise an eyebrow. Sirius is a Black? Interesting. I'm definitely surprised that he would help me pull up Peter now. Then again, I really shouldn't judge him based upon family. I hate it when people do that to me. I watch as he becomes progressively more pale beneath the Sorting Hat and wonder what's going on. Why hasn't it sorted him to Slytherin yet?

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouts.

The hall is silent.

Sirius's breathing is short and his eyes are wide.

Professor McGonagall pulls the hat off and gives him a gentle prod off of the stool. He seems to walk in autopilot to the red and gold house. People seem to give him a wide berth and I can't help but notice that he still seems to be in shock. The poor boy. His parents are going to be furious. Still, better him than me, even if he's a pretty good guy. I turn back to the sorting in time for the tail end of the E's.

"Evans, Lily!"

Lily practically skips up to the hat and sits on the stool, grinning. The hat is on her for only a few moments.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

She looks slightly disappointed, but grins at Severus and sits as far away from Sirius—who's still in shock—as possible. A couple more people are called and I somewhat zone out, only listening to see what name is being called, and not really caring about where they go except to notice that a lot of children are going to Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff and not too many are going to Slytherin or Gryffindor.

"Grimwood, Annalisa!"

I hold back a cringe at my first name, and walk up to the hat with my shoulders back. Time to go to the snakes. The hat goes on my head, almost completely blocking out he view of the hall.

"So you think you're automatically going to Slytherin huh?"

I raise an eyebrow, _'I'm guessing that you're the hat and that this is all in my head, right?'_

"Naturally."

_'Very well, I know where I'm going.'_

"While normally I would agree, there's something different about you Ann. Something I didn't see while sorting your sister, or mother, or aunts and uncles. Something there was a glimmer of in your father, but that he squashed," the hat says.

_'And what's that?'_ I ask.

"Change."

I blink, _'What are you talking about? What does this have to do with my sorting?'_

"Everything, Ann. You have the cunning of a Slytherin, but none of the ambition or the self-preservation, as proved by your stunt earlier tonight."

_'Please, the kid was going to drown. I had no choice.'_

"Of course you did. As did Mister Black, who said the exact same thing to me when I told him that," the hat says, "Now let's see, you have intelligence, and a thirst for knowledge, but you don't value that thirst. It's not something that you absolutely need in your life. You have an amazing amount of loyalty, but do not have the work ethic or the level of fairness that Hufflepuffs instinctually have."

I start to panic as I realise where the hat is going with this, _'No! You can't! I have to go to Slytherin! My parents will kill me! And that could quite possibly literally happen! I cannot go anywhere but Slytherin. The only other house I might be able to get away with is Ravenclaw!'_

The hat sighs, "Oh, Ann. You may not realise it now, but this is what's best for you. You're courage, though slightly buried, will shine amazingly once you have a chance to kindle it. And to do that, you must be in GRYFFINDOR!"


	4. Chapter Four

I sit at the Gryffindor table, and wonder if it's possible for an eleven—almost twelve—year old to die of shock. If so, I'm sure I'm just as likely to do such as Sirius, who's seated next to me and still hasn't gained any colour to his cheeks. I can't help but to stare at my plate. I know the moment I look up that I'll see Tessa. And the moment I see Tessa, I'll know that she's going to send a letter to mother and father. And the moment that I know that, I'll end up trying to stab my eyes out with my fork. And since I happen to really like my eyes, I don't think that'll be a good idea. I drop my head onto the table and hope that maybe I'll wake up and this is a bad dream.

_'This isn't a dream and mother and father are going to be so displeased with you. Remember what happened when you broke great-great-great grandmother Tessa's china? The punishment for that will look like nothing compared to this.'_ I know that's the truth and can't help but give a slight groan. I still have a scar from that punishment. I just committed a couple of cardinal sins of the Grimwoods. Do not disobey mother and father and do not go to any House but Slytherin. Both of them shot in one go. I ignore the rest of the sorting, except to notice that Remus and Peter end up in Gryffindor as well while Severus goes to Slytherin. Good, I don't want that boy around me if I can help it.

"Ann?" Remus's voice is low, "Are you all right?"

"I am going to die," I mutter, "If not from shock, then from my parents."

"Come on, it's not that bad. I'm sure they'll be disappointed, but they won't kill you."

I raise my head enough to look at him, "No. They're going to kill me. I should be in Slytherin. I should be in Slytherin!" My head drops back onto the table with a _thunk_.

"They're both insane," another boy says, "Who in their right mind _wants_ to be in Slytherin?"

"Someone who doesn't want to die," Sirius and I say simultaneously. It shows how dire the situation is that I don't even giggle at that. I've always found it funny when people talk at the same time.

"Besides, James," Sirius says, "You wouldn't understand."

"True," the same boy's voice, I assume he's James, says, "But still. You're different than them, and they'll just have to get over it."

"If they're anything like my family, this isn't something they can _just get over_," I say, raising my head from the table and pointedly ignoring the Slytherin table. I can feel the glare that Tessa is giving me and I clench my jaw, refusing the blush. "Now if you don't mind, I'd like to plan my funeral and will in peace, thank you."

Peter blinks, "Is she serious?"

James smirks, "No, but he is."

Sirius glares at James.

I realise how much he looks like the girl sitting next to Tessa, and then groan when I realise that I finally gave in and looked at my sister. Sure enough she looks mad enough to beat a Basalisk in a staring contest and I know, just know, that I'm going to be in some major trouble because of this. How could I have ended up in Gryffindor? I was raised to be a Slytherin. There shouldn't be a noble, courageous, or whatever else Gryffindors are supposed to be bone in my body!

"Ann, are you going to eat?" Lily asks.

I shake my head, "I'd just throw it back up."

I drop my head back onto the table and think about what damage control I'm going to have to do, and what my parents will do. It's possible that they won't send a howler. That may seem too…uncouth to them. Then again, they may decide that it would be worth a little public humiliation to make me run with my tail between my legs. I hold back a snarl at the thought. If they want to try it, they can go ahead, but that's one thing that they did teach me. Do not let someone get away with public humiliation, even if they are family. I groan when I realise the direction my thoughts are going.

_'It's only been a half hour and you're already starting to think like a bloody Gryffindor? What's next?'_

"Here."

I look at the cup that was placed in front of me and blink. Looking at Remus, I raise an eyebrow.

He shrugs, "I saw James do the same thing for Sirius, and that seems to be helping him, so I figured some hot chocolate should help you too."

I slowly grab the cup, nod, and whisper, "Thank you."

Through the rest of dinner and dessert, I just sip the hot chocolate. People chatter and talk all around me, but I just ignore them and hope that with the more hot chocolate that I drink that the sinking feeling in my chest will disappear. No such luck. Soon the Prefects are leading us to the dorms, and I can't help but feel that every step I take up the stairs is another step toward a very bad argument with my family. And with my family how it is, arguments usually do not end up in my favor.

"And this is the access to the Gryffindor commons. The password right now is Lion's Heart." The portrait opens and the prefect ushers us all through. I look around and can't help but feel that the room has _a lot_ of red. The prefect smiles before speaking again, "The girls dormitories are up the stairs to your right, and the boys are up the stairs to your left. We get a new password around the fifteenth of every month and it'll be posted on the common room message board. If there is important information, it will also be posted on the message board along with various other pieces of information. On your beds, you'll find a rule book. Professor McGonagall expects you to have that memorized as she wants to win the house cup this year. My name is Frank Longbottom, and if you have any questions, you can ask me or any other prefect. Have a good night."

I hold back a yawn and follow the other girls up the stairs and into the dorms. Lily and Marlene are the only ones who I know the name of. There are a couple of other girls, and they both seem to be really chatty, and I hope that they won't be this annoying for the rest of the year. We find our dorms at the top of the stairs, of course. Once we're all in I go to my part of the room, pull out my books and parchment and some ink and place them on the desk provided for me. I then turn to my bed and collapse on it. All thoughts of trying to find Tessa and reason with her leave my mind once I realise how comfortable this bed is.

"Grimwood."

I open my eyes and find that the two girls I don't know are standing at the foot of my bed. One girl is standing protectively in front of the other, glaring at me.

"Yes?"

The protective girl's glare intensifies, "If I hear that you're giving Hanah or Lily problems for having muggle parents, then you'll have to deal with me."

I blink before raising an eyebrow, "I don't care that they're mudbloods. I try not to judge a person based on their parents. And you know what? I would appreciate if you did the same."

Before the one girl can retort—and I think she's pretty upset if I'm reading the reddening of her face properly—I pull my curtains shut, put up a silencing charm that mother had taught me, and lay back down. I smile at how comfortable the bed is again before falling asleep.


	5. Chapter Five

Morning comes much too soon, and I groan as I wake up. I hate mornings with a passion, though I'm usually functional at least. I take down the silencing charm and open my curtains. When I see the state of my things and my part of the room, I clench my teeth so I don't wake up the entire tower.

"Go back to the dungeons, you Slytherin spy? Mudblood is better than pureblood incest?" I read. Some of the other things that were written on my things include bitch, traitor, snob, and freak. I can't help but wonder what they're thinking. What does writing on my books and desk do to me? Granted, it hurts. I know it shouldn't. It's just them being thick, but it hurts. I'd hoped that they would be nice. "Though I want to know what makes them think that my family practices incest?" I mutter, "We haven't since the nineteenth century."

I notice that the robe I'd been wearing last night is ripped to shreds and that the girls spilled the rest of my ink all over my bed curtains and on the rags of that robe. I sigh and rummage through my trunk for another uniform—for once, glad that father had insisted that I have a password protected trunk—and go to take a shower. I come back out, put my things back into my trunk and try and salvage a bit of parchment, a quill, and some ink for classes. I don't even want to think about bringing my books with me. Not until I learn a spell to get rid of those marks. Hopefully I'll be able to and they aren't completely ruined. Once all my things are in a bag, I go downstairs and really hope that my day will get better.

"Ann! How'd you sleep?" Remus asks when I enter the common room.

I shrug, "Not too horribly. You?"

"Amazingly! I love the beds, they're so comfortable. James just ran up to grab something, so if you want to wait with us, we'll be going to breakfast soon," Remus says.

"That sounds like a good idea." I shift my bag on my shoulder and wonder if I should have woken up the other girls. Then again, with the way they've treated me, they deserve to be late. Though Lily wasn't in the room so I expect her to already be at breakfast. Marlene was just waking up as I was leaving, so she'll probably get Hanah and the other girl up.

Sirius comes down stairs, stopping next to Remus and me and rubs his eyes, "In case either of you were wondering, Peter is extremely difficult to wake up in the mornings. And James is a forgetful idiot. Good thing his head is attached or he'd lose it."

I snort, "That's a lovely mental picture."

Sirius nods and rubs his eyes again.

James and Peter then come downstairs, James looking far more awake than Peter. I can't help but smirk at the way Peter stumbles along behind James, and think that the boy could use some really strong tea. James is grinning so widely, I hold back a groan as I realise that he's a morning person.

"So are we going down to breakfast?" James asks, hooking an arm around Sirius's shoulders and starts to drag the grey eyed boy through the portrait hole.

I blink and shake my head, following them. Remus walks alongside me, chuckling and Peter just kind of follows us like an inferi. It takes us a while to remember the way down to the Great Hall and when we finally make it, a bunch of the older students are already there and are eating. We sit and I notice a bunch of students giving us glares. It takes a moment for me to realise that those glares are meant for Sirius and me. I really want to just slink into a corner, but that won't get rid of the glares. Instead I just put a waffle on my plate and start cutting it up.

"So what do you think we'll have for classes today?" Remus asks.

I shrug, "Don't know. Whatever it is, we'll probably just be having introductions to the classes."

James groans, "But I don't want to sit through boring stuff! I want to start casting spells!"

"If you do that then you'll end up blowing something up," Lily says as she sits down, "And I don't know about you, but I really don't want to end up in the hospital wing."

"If you can't have a little fun, what's the point of doing anything?" James asks.

They start to bicker slightly while the mail arrives. I search the owls, hoping that I won't see the steel grey of Phobos, mother's owl. Instead, I feel my heart drop when I see Deimos, father's owl. The bird lands on my arm that's lying on the table and holds out its leg. I grit my teeth, knowing that it's going to give me a couple of good gouges as it takes off. I've seen it do this before, and even then I always thought it cruel, but I always thought that I would never have to feel this birds talons. I take the letter and clench my teeth as it takes off. Sure enough the bloody bird leaves eight nice gashes in my arm. I shake my robe sleeve over the wound before using a butter knife to open the envelope.

'Annalisa,

Your sister notified us of the trouble you have caused. Of all Houses, I never expected you to go to Gryffindor. If it were possible, I would demand you to ask for a resorting. As it is, I know you are stuck in the house of the mudbloods and blood-traitors. You have brought such shame to this family with this action that I am almost tempted to bring you home and continue homeschooling you. However, this would just further sully the name of Grimwood. You now have two choices. You may either speak with your sister, explain everything to her, forsake any and all of your Gryffindor peers, and then keep to O level work. You may also keep upon this path you have set yourself upon and accept any and all consequences that befall you. I do not need to tell you which is the better option.

Gerladim'

I read the letter over a couple of times. A way out. He's given me a way out of this mess. I don't have to necessarily be friends with any of these people, just go to class, and sleep in the same dorm as them. I'm about to stand up and walk over to Tessa, knowing that this is the best way to get into my family's good graces again when Remus turns to me from his conversation with James and Peter and grins before turning back.

I slowly put the letter back in its envelope and place it face down upon the table. I then notice that Sirius has a letter as well, but he looks extremely pale and worried. I frown and stand from the table. Walking to the staff table, I find Professor McGonagall and wait for her to finish her conversation with a rough looking young man. When she's done, she turns to me and I see her eyes flash some emotion briefly before she's the stern Professor I met last night.

"Yes Miss Grimwood?" she asks.

"Professor, I was wondering if I could get the schedule for Sirius and me. He just received a letter from home and I think he needs to get away from the hall for some time and I want to be sure that we'll be able to attend our correct classes," I say this all as politely as I can.

Professor McGonagall glances at the Gryffindor table and observes it for a moment. No doubt checking on my story to see if I'm telling the truth. After a moment she nods and pulls out the schedules and hands them to me. "Miss Grimwood, both you and Mister Black have charms first this morning. It is on the fifth floor in the west wing of the school. The classroom is near a statue of Galdrig the Gloomy and a painting of a Welsh marsh with some Scotsmen in kilts standing in it. If you have any problems finding the room, ask an older student or a painting."

"Yes ma'am, thank you." I accept the scrolls and walk back to the table. I grab my bag and tap Sirius on the shoulder. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow, but he's still rather pale, "Come on. I want to take a walk and with the way half of Slytherin and Gryffindor is glaring at me, I really don't think it would be a good idea to go on my own."

Sirius hesitates only a second before nodding. When James, Peter, and Remus look like they're going to follow, he shakes his head, "You three stay and enjoy breakfast. I'm not that hungry anyway and you haven't gotten your schedules yet."

"Neither have you," Peter says.

I hold up the scrolls, "I've got his and mine. Sorry but I didn't think that Professor McGonagall would approve of more than two first years wandering the castle."

"That's fine," Remus says, placing a hand on James's shoulder. When James looks like he's going to try standing anyway, Remus whispers something in his ear and the boy finally sits back down. Remus smiles at us, "We'll see you in class, yeah?"

I nod and walk with Sirius out of the Hall. The entire walk, I feel as though I'm walking to the gallows, but I keep my head high and just ignore them. When we get to the doors, I hiss in pain as someone grabs the arm that Deimos has tore up and turn to see Tessa holding my forearm. She's sneering at me and I can tell that she expects me to cower in front of her. I rip my arm from her grasp and give her my best glare, she tends to forget that though she is eldest that I am the heir. If the way she flinches slightly says anything, it was successful and she recognizes it as one that father uses when he's extremely angry.

We leave the Great Hall and just walk around for a little bit until we find an empty classroom. There's dust everywhere, but I think that's for the best as it means we, hopefully, won't be disturbed while talking.

"So what did you want to talk about?" Sirius asks, "And I know you didn't just want a bodyguard while going on your walk. The Grimwoods are notorious for their abilities in combat, both magical and physical."

I grin, "All right, you caught me. It was a rubbish fib anyway. Though I did want to walk around, and all of Slytherin and half of the Gryffindors were glaring at us. No, I wanted to make sure that you're ok. I saw the letter you received from home and you turned awfully pale while you were reading it."

"I'm ok," Sirius shrugs, "Really. It's just…Mother wrote me. She's not pleased that I'm in Gryffindor, and honestly I don't think my father is either. They probably think that I'm a blood-traitor and that I'm going to start skipping around Hogwarts hugging all the mudbloods."

I chuckle at the imagery, "I got the same thing, but something tells me that's not why you're worried."

The boy sighs and runs a hand through his hair and rubs the back of his neck, "I was told that I couldn't go home during holidays, and was basically told that when I do go home for summer holidays that I will need to accept the consequences, whatever they may be."

I give a sympathetic wince, knowing that the same thing applies for me. "Ouch, did they even give you a second option? Like if you were to ignore everyone and received straight Os?"

"Yes, but I…I don't think I could do that. James and I are already really close, and I think that we could become really good friends by the end of the year," Sirius says, "I don't want to just throw that away, you know?"

"I know," I say, thinking that I'm already really close to being friends with Remus. There has to be something about a seven hour train ride that just pulls people together. Of course, being in the same house as him helps cement the possible friendship even more. I glance at my watch and sigh, "We need to get moving. We have charms in fifteen minutes and it's on the fifth floor. I think we're on the second by the defense wing, but I'm not sure."

Sirius nods, rubbing his neck for a moment before giving me a quick grin, "We certainly don't want to be late, now do we? It would give our Professor a horrible first impression."

"Exactly." I pull my bag onto my shoulder a little more before throwing Sirius a grin of my own, "Race you, last one there is a hinkypuck's aunt!"

As we run, I can feel something in the air. A light thrumming. Something I'd only felt a couple of times. I'd asked my father after the most recent time, which was in Ollivander's, and he'd told me that it was magic. That some people are more sensitive to it and can feel it in the air. I grin as Sirius and I run through the empty halls. I can tell that this magic is old. Really old. And I wouldn't be surprised if it was magic from within the walls of the school from centuries of students passing through. I nearly trip and mutter a light oath as Sirius over takes me and beats me to the charms classroom door. He smirks at me, grey eyes slightly taunting and teasing. I roll my eyes as he motions for me to enter before him and walk into the room, immediately heading for the back. James, Peter, and Remus are already there and there's an open seat next to James and between Remus and Peter. I sit between the two boys while Sirius is next to James. The black haired boys immediately begin talking about some prank that James had thought up and I can't help but wonder if those two meeting was a bad idea.

"So, did your walk help you calm down a little?" Remus asks.

I nod, "A bit. I don't know though. It's weird being a Gryffindor."

"Weird?" Peter asks, "How is being a Gryffindor weird?"

"I was raised by Slytherins to be a Slytherin. It's going to be a little weird for me to be in the house that is the polar opposite of that. If I'd been in Ravenclaw it wouldn't be too bad, but being in Gryffindor…I have a whole bunch of rules I need to learn.," I shrug, "Hopefully it won't take me too long."

After that class starts and we're all busy taking notes. After about twenty minutes, Professor Flitwick has us take out our books to read through the first chapter. I barely avoid sinking in my seat or even blushing, though I can hear Hanah and the other girl sniggering. Instead of calling attention to myself by asking our Professor, I nudge Remus with my elbow.

"What?" he whispers, eyes still following the words across the page.

"Can I read off your book? I left mine in the Tower."

He nods and slides it over so that we can share and I quickly read so as not to hold him up. When I next glance at the two girls, they look like they've swallowed a bad potion and I have to hide a smirk. _'Yeah, come on girls. Let's play a game, I promise you, I'll win.'_

At the end of the class, I tell the boys I need to ask Professor Flitwick a question. Remus stands outside of the classroom while the others go ahead. Once the room is clear, I walk up to Professor Flitwick and clear my throat. He looks up from the paper he'd been examining.

"Professor, I was wondering if there's a charm to take ink off of something, like books or parchment or something?" I ask.

Professor Flitwick nods, "There are plenty. All depend on what you are using them for. Do you need help with one of them?"

I nod, "I need one that can get dried ink off of books and parchment without ruining the print beneath. If I could also get a spell that removes ink from fabric without ruining the fabric, that would be fantastic."

"Very well," Professor Flitwick says as he pulls out a spare piece of parchment, "They are easy enough spells, I'm sure you'll be able to do them. Even without any previous experience. If you do have problems, you can ask an older student, another Professor, or come back to me and I will be more than willing to help. Might I ask why you need these spells so early in the year?"

I swallow, not wanting to tell him that I'm having problems with my dorm mates, "I was just really clumsy and tired last night and spilled some ink. It got all over my books and hangings and I don't want to spend the money to replace it."

Professor Flitwick nods and wishes me luck with the spell before saying I ought to hurry or else be late to my next class. I leave the room, nose already engrossed with the explanations of the spells. Luckily, Remus just falls in step alongside me and he manages to lead me without too much problems to our next class, which is Defense Against the Dark Arts. Somehow, in the thirty seconds of scribbling he had done, Professor Flitwick had managed to even give detailed diagrams of how the spells were supposed to go. I grin and mentally admit that my esteem of the man has gone up quite a bit and place the parchment in my pocket.

"So what did you ask Professor Flitwick about?" Remus asks.

"Just a couple of spells to get ink off my things. I spilled some last night, which is why I don't have my books," I say, keeping with the excuse I gave the tiny Professor. I don't need anyone knowing that I can't handle a couple of eleven year old girls. That would just be embarrassing.

Remus nods, "I was wondering why you didn't have anything other than some parchment."

We only get lost once heading to class, and it doesn't help that I almost got us in trouble for trying to push a cat that had been following us around into a closet. I can't help it. I really don't like cats. When we walk into class, we're late. We both duck the stunners that had been aimed at us and only stand when we hear applause. Remus, who had only dropped to a crouch, pulls me up as I had just dropped to my stomach. I rub my knee and give him a grin before turning to the teacher. He's slightly taller than father and has blonde hair. His eyes are hazel and show approval as well as an alertness that I have never seen before.


	6. Chapter Six

_I rub my knee and give him a grin before turning to the teacher. He's slightly taller than father and has blonde hair. His eyes are hazel and show approval as well as an alertness that I have never seen before._

"You're late, but you passed. Step over to the right side of the classroom," the man says.

Keeping an eye on him at all times, Remus and I walk to stand with Sirius and James. I take notice of the students who we're standing with and notice that they aren't many. Snape and Lily are also there, as is another pair of Slytherin boys whose names I cannot recall. The only other girl on this side is Marlene, and I give her a slight grin and she nods at me.

On the left side of the room, however, are the rest of the students. Including Peter and, to my vindictive pleasure, Hanah and her mate. I smirk at them and watch as the one girl turns red and glares at me. I don't know what I did to offend her, but I wish that she would just tell me rather than try to be sneaky about it. Good thing she's not a Slytherin, she would have been eaten alive.

"You are currently divided based upon how your reactions are, but that could quickly change," the man says, "Defense Against the Dark Arts is about more than knowing the scary monsters that hide under your bed. I'm going to teach you as much as I possibly can within the year that I am here. My name is Marvin Anderson. I am an Auror with the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. And due to what my superiors call deviant behavior I have to teach you kiddies for a year until I'm allowed to even do desk duty."

He gives us a few moments to wrap our heads around that bit of information before asking, "Whoever here knows of anything that is considered dark magic by the ministry take one step forward."

I debate stepping forward, but decide that isn't too bad of a thing to admit to. There's always a loophole if I'm asked anything about it. I step forward and notice that a lot more people than I thought would have as well. Even James has and considering his family, I find that interesting.

Professor Anderson nods, "And if you know what that magic does to a person, step forward."

Again I step forward. For all anyone knows, I'm thinking about the Unforgiveables. And now that I think about it, that's what James is most likely thinking about as he also stepped forward. Sirius and Remus are also next to me, and Marlene is just on the other side of Remus. I can see Snape next to her and notice the other students who have stepped forward on the other side of the classroom. I nod, figuring most of them are thinking about the Unforgiveables.

"And if you know even the basics about how to cast that spell, step forward."

Not even half of the students step forward, but I do anyway. Even though I know mother and especially father would be displeased, a lot of people know about my family and that if I don't they'll be suspicious. To my surprise, Sirius steps forward—not that I'm surprised he knows dark magic (He's a Black after all) but that he'd admit it—along with Remus and Snape. I notice that there are only two people opposite us who have also stepped forward. Both of them are Slytherins, and I cannot say I'm surprised.

Professor Anderson nods, "Now, if you know the exact circumstances needed to cast that magic. Wand movements, incantations, moon phases, energy requirements, and anything else that makes the magic work. If you know all of that, step forward."

Heart pounding in my chest, I step forward. This means admitting that I have not just casually heard of dark magic, but that I have actively studied it. I'm not sure if I want any of my classmates to know that. I know they'll treat me differently because of it. I can only hope that Professor Anderson doesn't ask another question, because I'm not sure if I would be able to answer it truthfully. I barely even notice that Sirius and Snape are the only two who also stepped forward with me.

"And finally, if you think you'd be able to cast that magic, step forward."

Bugger! Should I answer truthfully? Because that would mean that I would, most likely, alienate myself from the class. I really don't want people to look at me differently. _'And admit it. You don't want to show them all that you're capable of. Hide some of your abilities in case you need them.'_

I step forward and hold back a sigh. Damn it all to Hades. Might as well tell them as I'm sure they'd be able to figure it out anyway. When I finally get enough courage to look around, I notice that it's only Sirius and myself in the middle of the room. I know Snape probably lied about not being able to cast dark magic. After all, once you know it you'd eventually be able to cast it. But I can tell that a lot of people look either shocked or like they expected this. Sirius looks bored of the entire thing, but I can see the slight clenching of his jaw that tells me he's thinking the same thing I am. Say you were joking around, that you're not sure, that you take it back. Do anything to make them somehow forget what you revealed to them.

Professor Anderson has a smirk on his face, "Very good. Now, if anyone knows a ministry light classified spell or magic that could kill someone, raise your hand."

Oddly enough, I find my hand raised without too much thought on my part. I notice that Sirius also glances at his arm with some slight curiosity before shrugging and keeping his hand up. I glance around the room and am only marginally surprised when I realise that no one else has raised their hands.

"Excellent. Mister Black, what magic are you thinking of?" Professor Anderson asks.

"Reducto. If it's aimed at a person's head or if it's powered enough then it could easily break a bone or cause irreparable internal bleeding," Sirius says.

I scowl as he says it, realising that I'm going to have to come up with another answer and fast. Professor Anderson calls upon me as I figure out my answer and have to hide a grin as I say, "Wingardium leviosa."

At that, a bunch of students shout their denials and try to refute me. I just listen to their arguments and try not to smirk or start laughing. Really, even the Slytherins were trying to argue that what I'm saying isn't true. And they're supposed to be cunning. My owl has more cunning in her feathers than these idiots.

"Enough!" Professor Anderson says, "Miss Grimwood, would you care to explain?"

"Wingardium leviosa is the levitation spell. Obviously if you were to levitate something that is extremely heavy, such as a giant rock, above someone's head and dropped it they would die unless they dodged. You could also levitate someone off the edge of a cliff, and the impact with the ground or whatever is at the bottom of said cliff would kill them. You could also levitate a cauldron of either scalding hot liquid or a poison that is effective when it comes into contact with the skin and get the same result," I shrug, "It's all about resourcefulness."

Professor Anderson has a huge grin by this time and nods, "Very good Miss Grimwood! I would not be able to explain it better. Three points to Gryffindor. Now, for homework, I want you to make two lists of spells. One list is for spells that can be used defensively, the other for spells that can be used offensively. Both lists are due next in our next class, you're dismissed."

I shift my bag a little and wait for James and Peter to grab their things. Sirius is looking out the window and Remus is chatting with Marlene before she leaves and he comes to stand by us.

"Wingardium leviosa huh?" Sirius asks, watching me from the corner of his eye, "I'm surprised that you didn't pick petrificus totalus."

I shrug, "Less to work with on that one. Just cast the spell and either drop something on them or throw them in a lake or something like that. No, I like wingardium leviosa."

"You're nutters, the both of you," James says, "Still, you do have good points. I didn't think that either of you would admit that much."

Sirius gives a small smirk, "Why not? It's not like we have anything to hide. We're both from dark families and that tends to mean knowing dark magic."

James nods and starts discussing our next class, which is transfiguration and is after lunch. I notice that Lily and Snape are walking behind us, and try to see if I can hear what they're saying.

"Severus, I didn't think that you knew about dark magic! It seems really dangerous!" Lily says.

A pause, "It is, but I've only read about it. Unlike Black and Grimwood, I'm not an active user. I only studied it to know about it and possibly find out any weaknesses about the spells."

"All right, I believe you. But promise me you won't study it anymore. At least not until we're older."

"I promise Lily. Anyway, can you believe that fool's tale Grimwood spun about wingardium leviosa?"

Lily snorts, "I know. If it was possible to kill someone with that spell, the ministry would have classified it as dark magic. Still, I can't believe that she received points for knowing how to kill someone, even if it was made up."

At that I stop listening and just keep walking behind the boys. As we reach the Great Hall, the smell of food starts to make my stomach turn. I tap Peter's arm to get his attention and he turns around.

"I'm feeling slightly ill, so I'll see you in Transfiguration," I say. Peter nods and says he hopes I feel better and I leave the area, hoping to get away before I throw up whatever happens to be in my stomach. As I walk through the crowds of our class, they all part and let me walk past, none of them coming too close. I just keep walking and try to avoid thinking of _why_ they're leaving me alone. I end up in my dorms and stare at the damage that's been done to my things. I glance at the paper that Professor Flitwick had given me and start trying to get rid of the ink.

~*~AG~*~

"Just let me run up and grab my book and I'll be able to help you Peter," I call over my shoulder as I climb the stairs to the girl's dorms. It's been a couple of weeks since school started and things are finally settling down. Flying lessons are starting next week and a lot of people are excited about that. I know James is practically bouncing off the walls. I can't help but chuckle as I remember that Remus specifically learned the tripping jinx because he found James so annoying. I'm still chuckling as I enter our dorm, but I come to a complete stop when I see what happened to my side of the room.

I look over the torn bed hangings. The ink drenched books and homework. I notice that my trunk is nowhere in sight and that the robes that had been laying on the back of my chair are completely shredded. My Gryffindor tie, which has been hanging off of one of the bed posts, is defaced with green ink and also has some rips in it. I grit my teeth as my anger builds. Turning on my heel I storm down the stairs and search the common room. When I see Hanah Lollick, I only have to glance two feet to her left to find Sarah McDowell sitting there. They're both talking about something and keep giggling. My temper flares even more and I decide to just let her have it at full force.

"MCDOWELL!" I shout. The girl in question turn to me and stands from where she's seated. She tries to run away, but I'm quicker. Grabbing her by the front of her shirt, I pick her up and slam her against the wall, pinning her there. I'm slightly surprised at how light she seems, but that thought disappears when I see that she's wearing a locket that one of my grandmothers had given me before she died. That completely sets me off and I slam her into the wall again.

I can feel arms pulling at me and after a few moments have to put her down or risk dropping her. And even though I would love to see the girl cry, if she's injured and cannot answer my questions, then that's no use to me. People are pulling me back and away from her and I struggle. "Why!? Why in Hades do you think that you can keep getting away with doing this to me!?"

McDowell straightens her shirt and glares at me, "I don't know what you're talking about Grimwood."

"LIAR! You've been singling me out since our first night here for no reason!" I manage to pull out from the other people's arms and finally decide enough with just yelling at the girl. My mind just races through everything that the girl has done and before I know it, I've got her pinned to the ground and my fists are hitting every part of her I can get. McDowell manages to get in a couple of hits and scratches as well. After about a minute of this, a prefect finally manages to break through the throng of spectators and splits us up with magic. Only after there's a shield between McDowell and me do I finally realise where I am and how many people are watching. McDowell has a black eye, a split lip, and her nose is bleeding quite nicely. Along with a couple of other bruises I know she'll have in a few hours, I feel quite a bit of pride at that and smirk slightly before dropping it to face the prefect. And of course it's Frank.

"What is going on here?" he asks, his voice low.

McDowell tries to look small and pitiful, and I can't stop myself from sneering at her, "I was out here talking with Hanah when Grimwood just came down the stairs and started attacking me. I tried to defend myself, but couldn't!"

Frank turns to me and eyebrows.

I swallow, "McDowell has been giving me problems all year and I just lost it. I was only going to come down and get her to stop. Granted, I yelled at her when I first saw her but after all that she's done I think I'm allowed to lose my temper a little. She tried to run so I pinned her to a wall to talk to her. That's when I noticed that she has my locket on. I know I didn't let her borrow it and it was sitting on my desk, so there's no reason for her to not know it's mine."

"She's lying!" McDowell says, "This belonged to my mother when she went to Hogwarts and she gave it to me when I left on the train!"

I grit my teeth and growl at the girl. This causes her to jump back and I smirk at that. This girl's story is completely rubbish and hopefully Frank will believe me.

Frank sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, "Both of you apologise to each other. Then Ann, you're to stay in the girl's dorms all night and McDowell, you stay in the commons."

"What? That's not fair," I say, unable to hide the accusation or surprise from my voice. McDowell looks smug even though she's also under house arrest tonight.

"Ann, you attacked first so you're going to stay in the dorm. McDowell, you aren't innocent in this either, so you're stuck in the commons. Sounds pretty fair to me." Frank starts to leave, clearly believing that he's done with his perfectly duties.

"I want to see Professor McGonagall about this right now." The words are from my lips before they sink in and I realise that she's probably my best bet. Frank's eyebrows have risen again and he observes me for a moment before nodding.

"Very well. Come along you two." He steps between us and the three of us walk from the commons and into the hall. I can feel a couple of places where McDowell hit twinge a bit, but ignore them. Hopefully, I'll be able to get McDowell to stop instigating me. I keep clenching and unclenching my fists. I don't know what Professor McGonagall will do. So far it seems like she hasn't cared that I'm from a dark family, but is it because she truly doesn't care, or is she just that much better at hiding it than the rest of the Gryffindor house had been? I know I'm not the only one who has had problems with the other students. For a while some of the older students kept stealing or breaking Sirius's things until he finally just pranked and hexed them all. I would have tried the same on McDowell, except she's always around a bunch of people and I didn't want to chance anything.

Frank knocks on the Professor's office door and we wait a little bit. By this time McDowell is crying slightly and I can't help but scowl at the girl. She starts crying now? Talk about making it obvious that she's trying to seem like she's hurt worse than she is. Though for a Gryffindor that is rather Slytherin. I'm half tempted to tell her that just to see her reaction, but Professor McGonagall opens the door at that moment and I keep the thought to myself.

"Frank? What's this about? Why aren't these two in the hospital wing?" Professor McGonagall asks.

Frank blushes slightly, "Neither of them have complained about their injuries, so I didn't think that it was required. And Ann wanted to see you right away."

Professor McGonagall narrows her eyes at the boy before she nods and walks back into her office with us following her. She motions for us to sit and Frank wisely sits between McDowell and me. I still feel the urge to punch the girl.

"Very well, now explain yourselves!" Professor McGonagall says.

"I was in the common room talking with Hanah when Grimwood just came down the stairs and started attacking me. I tried to defend myself, but couldn't!" McDowell says, "She then tried to say that I'm the one who has been causing her problems all year and that my mother's locket is hers."

I growl, "That's because it is mine! My grandmother gave it to me! And the locket matter is easy to solve. Look on the back of the locket. There's a picture of a crescent moon on it. Tap it once with your wand and an image of an animal comes out. Of course, if it's really McDowell's locket, she'll know what that animal is."

McDowell's eyes narrow, "Of course. It's a unicorn."

"Rubbish," I say, raising an eyebrow, "It's a wolf."

Professor McGonagall holds out her hand, "Miss McDowell, may I see the locket so that I may test it?"

McDowell nods and hands the locket to Professor McGonagall. I notice that she's biting her lip slightly and smirk. She knows what's coming and cannot stop it one bit. Professor McGonagall taps the back of the locket with her wand and watches as a wolf appears from the back and gives a short howl before dissolving. Professor McGonagall looks at McDowell with pursed lips. I glance at McDowell and am pleased to see how terrified she looks. Good, maybe now the girl will know that it's not good to steal other people's things. Especially when you're going to be idiotic about it.

"Miss McDowell, would you care to explain this?" Professor McGonagall asks, her voice as tight as her lips.

McDowell swallows, "She charmed it! She changed it so that it would show what she wanted!"

"Miss McDowell, that is far more advanced magic than a first year can manage. Did you steal Miss Grimwood's locket?"

"Because she's so mean! She's a horrible person and I can't stand her! She called Hanah and Lily m-m-mud-mudbloods!" McDowell says, stuttering on the last word.

I clench my teeth and barely hold back a growl.

"Is this true Miss Grimwood?"

"Only twice, and that was at the beginning of the year. First time was in the girls dorm right after sorting, and the second time was when I was with Remus, Sirius, James, and Peter. I didn't even know exactly how horrible that word was until Remus, James, and Peter explained it to Sirius and me," I say as I remember that day.

_I follow the boys up to their dorm, laughing about some prank that Sirius and James had pulled on some Slytherin fifth years. I keep giggling even though I know I probably shouldn't be. But it was just so funny!_

_ "Ah, the looks on their faces!" Sirius says, "Reminds me of the look Evans got on her face after finding out that there are plants that could eat her."_

_ I nod, "Yeah, sometimes I forget that she's a mudblood and doesn't know any of that."_

_ Instantly several gasps erupt through the room and Sirius and I look at the others confused. James looks really angry, Remus shows a mixture of shock and—for some reason—regret, and Peter looks just shocked._

_ "Take it back!" James says._

_ I blink, "What?"_

_ "Take. It. Back!"_

_ "Take what back?" Sirius asks, sounding as confused as I feel. What did we do?_

_ Remus seems to realise what the problem is before James and places a hand on the hazel eyed boy's shoulder to hold him back from doing something stupid. "You don't realise how offensive that word is, do you?"_

I give myself a mental shake to bring my mind back to the matter at hand. Professor McGonagall looks slightly weary, but also approving. I guess she believes me because I admitted it. I now debate whether I should tell her about the problems that McDowell has been giving me and decide not to. Even though that had been my original intention in coming to see our Head of House, I figured that I might be able to solve this problem between McDowell and myself. Hopefully the idiot girl will listen.

"Miss McDowell, give Miss Grimwood her locket back. You also have detention for a week for stealing a student's possession. Miss Grimwood, you also have a week's detention for provoking a fight when you should have immediately found a prefect or myself," Professor McGonagall says, "Unless there is anything else, Mister Longbottom, take back Miss McDowell. I wish to discuss something with Miss Grimwood."

Frank nods and escorts McDowell out of the room. I feel slightly nervous about being alone with the Professor, but I can't remember doing anything against the rules, other than fighting McDowell of course. I try not to fidget, but I still find that my right leg is bouncing slightly and I know that if Professor McGonagall were not in the room that I would easily be pacing. I can never sit still for long. Especially when I know that I'm going to be in trouble. Or at least I think I'm in trouble.

"Miss Grimwood, you can relax, I assure you that you are not in trouble, unless there is something which you would like to tell me about?" McGonagall asks.

I shake my head, "No ma'am. Might I ask what you need to speak with me about?"

"I wanted to make sure that you are settling into Gryffindor all right. I know that a couple of other first years have been having problems and wanted to find out if you are among them," she says.

"No ma'am. Thank you for asking though," I say, "May I go back to the commons now? I have homework I'd like to complete."

Professor McGonagall hesitates, and I wonder if she remembers what McDowell said about me saying she's been giving me problems, and then nods, "You may. If you need anything, feel free to speak with me at any time."

"Yes, good night Professor." I leave Professor McGonagall's office and make my way through the halls, hoping that I won't run into the caretaker. He seems to be rather ill-willed toward the students, which doesn't seem like a good idea for someone who works at a _school_, but I'm just a child, what do I know? I scoff at that last thought and turn another corner. I'm not even two feet into the hall when I get pulled behind a tapestry. I feel someone place their hand over my mouth, and wonder if the person is an idiot. Before they can do anything else, I bite down on their hand and throw my elbow behind me with as much force as I can get. The person behind me screams and I turn around to see Tessa hunched over her hand, which is only slightly bleeding.

"You idiot!" I snap, "You know better than to try something like that with me! Merlin, one would think that you're completely daft or something. Not that they'd be wrong of course."

Tessa scowls, "Last I knew, father never taught us to bite an assailant."

"Well when you're hand is over my mouth I'd be a rubbish fighter not to use that advantage," I lean against the wall and watch her heal her wound, "What do you need?"

"Mother and father wanted me to warn you that you are not acting as a proper Grimwood should. You are toeing a very fine line with them and if you're not careful you will end up as one of those nasty blood-traitors," Tessa says.

I raise an eyebrow, "And they couldn't just write a letter?"

"They do not need to fall to such plebian methods of chiding their children. Also, they wished for you to be reminded that you are to go home during the Yule holidays. And you were to be given this," Tessa gives me a small box, "Father says that you know the proper spell to enlarge it to its proper size. He is going to test you once you arrive at home for the holidays."

"Again, they couldn't send a letter?" I roll my eyes, "If that's all, I'm going to leave now."

As I'm walking down the hall, I can feel a tendril of dark magic and stop and turn back to Tessa. She smirks at me before leaving for the dungeons. I don't know what she was trying to accomplish by that, but her smirking is not a good thing. I can't help but wonder if I'm going to have to maneuver around whatever she has planned now or later.

**AN/ Hey, thanks to everyone who is reading this story and enjoying it. Sorry I haven't posted in a while, but I've been a bit busy. I'll see if I can post again within the next week or two. **


	7. Chapter Seven

"Grimwood, wake up! Unless you want to be late for class."

I raise my head and blink at Evans. For some reason we've had a really bad falling out. Of course, we weren't the best of mates anyway, but still we at least called each other by our given names rather than our familial names. I don't think that she likes the way I gave McDowell a beating. Though the girl had it coming. I nod once and yawn as I get out of bed. Evans scowls at me and leaves the room, her red hair flipping out behind her.

As I putter around and slowly get ready for class, I hold back various winces as my muscles complain about the work out they received last night. My father had sent a new sword for me to learn. The English short sword, though about the same length as a rapier, is slightly heavier than a rapier and it does use a few different moves. Luckily, they aren't as different as I thought they are so I'm able to mainly learn from the diagrams that father had sent along with the weapon. I know I'm going to be corrected once I get home, but at least I will have the basics memorized.

I leave the dorm and commons, debating if I have enough time to go to breakfast or if I should just go to class. Yawning, I let my feet carry me to class, figuring that if I'm there early enough then I'll be able to take a short nap while waiting for class to start. As I walk to class, I can barely keep my eyes open. I only hope that I'll have enough energy for flying lessons, as I've been looking forward to them since the notice was put up. I hate being cramped inside a building when it's nice out, and since I usually sit next to the window, it's double the torture.

I sit down at my desk, thankful for once that we have History of Magic first thing in the morning, and fall right back to sleep.

~*~AG~*~

_"Father? Father can you read us a story tonight?" I ask, tugging along the giant tome I'd selected. Father looks down at me from over his glasses, and frowns ever so slightly._

_ "Why have you not asked your sister?" Father asks._

_ I bite my lip and shrug, "Because she doesn't read as well as you do Father. She can't do the voices or remember the names properly. I think she needs to go over the family history again."_

_ "But surely she can read from the book properly?"_

_ "She says the handwriting is funny."_

_ Father gives half a smile before picking up the book and walking from the room. I pause for a moment before trotting after him, hoping I can catch up. Father has rather long legs. Finally, I catch up with him in Rowan's room and sit on the bed next to him. He nods and settles the book in his lap, the pages spread open to the last time he had read. It's been a while, but I remember exactly where we are and have to hide my excitement at finding out what happens next._

_ As father reads, telling us the story of Elphaba Artemis Grimwood, he uses some magic to bring the story to life. I watch the mirages and try to keep track of the different hand movements he uses to make them, copying them when he's not looking. But even with my attention somewhat divided, I still pay great attention to the story. Of the struggles of Elphaba. Of her defiance of what society tried to make her do. And I cannot help but feel admiration for her._

_ Father finishes reading and tucks Rowan into bed before picking me up. I can feel my eyelids growing heavier and yawn. I lay my head on my father's shoulder and I feel him chuckle._

_ "Daddy, why were the people mean to Elphaba?" I ask, yawning in the middle of the sentence._

_ "Because, Anna, they didn't understand why she was so determined to do what she thought was right," father says, "Because she would not bend to their wills."_

_ "Is it good to act like she did?"_

_ A pause, "It can be. Stubbornness is a trait that is often found in the Grimwood family."_

_ "Stubbornness?" I say, thinking, "I've heard something like that before. Mum said it. Only it was shorter."_

_ "Stubborn, perhaps?" father asks._

_ I nod, my eyes closed, "Mmmmhmmm. She called me stubborn. Said I'm just like you."_

_ Father chuckles and lays me in my bed, "That you are, my atrum angelus. You take after me a lot."_

_ I open my eyes as I realise something, "Daddy, why does Elphaba have my middle name?"_

_ Father smiles, "You share the same middle name because you both are very strong and determined and great people. Just like Elphaba, you're going to do great things Anna."_

_ "I hope so," I yawn, "Can you make the wolves dance daddy?"_

_ "Yes, my atrum angelus. My darling Anna." And father casts the mirage of wolves playing in my room, which lulls me into sleep._

~*~AG~*~

"Ann…Ann? Come on, wake up Ann."

I blink and yawn. All it takes is a glance around the room and my watch and I can tell that class has ended.

"Sleep well?" Remus asks with a grin.

I blink and yawn again and nod. Grabbing my bag, I stand up and follow him out the door. Sirius is standing next to the wall, trying to get James to stop messing with his hair and Peter is watching the both of them with raised eyebrows and a small grin on his face.

"Yes! We can finally leave!" James says, ruffling Sirius's hair one last time before giving a whoop and running for the stairs.

"Oh Merlin, and he's off again," Remus mutters, "I better make sure he doesn't get into trouble again."

Remus takes off after James and Peter follows after a moment of hesitation.

Sirius scoffs, "I don't understand the need to run around like a hooligan."

I shrug and hide another yawn, "It's a Gryffindor thing."

"We're Gryffindors."

"Oh right. I keep forgetting that."

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Maybe if you slept more when you're supposed to then you wouldn't have memory problems," Sirius says.

"Perhaps." I notice that the hall we're in is completely deserted and I glance around, my instincts from all the tutelage that father has given me rising. I notice that the end of the hall we had come from has three people walking toward us. I see the green on their robes and stop myself from cursing. "Sirius, I think we have a problem."

"I know we do."

I turn to him and he nods to the other end of the hall. His cousin, Bellatrix, and my sister are standing there smirking. I feel my heart drop, but keep my face blank and my shoulders back. "What do you want?"

"Well, darling sister, we need to talk. And this seems like the easiest way to do it," Tessa says.

Sirius sneers, "Perhaps you should have written a letter? Would have saved me the pain of throwing up my breakfast."

Bellatrix smirks, "Ah, but then you wouldn't have properly understood the severity of the situation. And I don't want poor wittle Siwi to misjudge the trouble he's in."

"Oh, Sirius, look at that," I say, "Hogwarts has taught your cousin some multi-syllable words. Maybe this year she'll manage to pass her class and stop wearing nappies."

Bellatrix flushes and glares, "How dare you!"

Tessa places a hand upon Bellatrix's arm, "Bella, don't. Allow our friends to remind them why they should fall back into line with our family preferences."

My eyes widen and I spin around to face the Slytherin boys, my wand jumping from my holster and into my hand. From the corner of my eye, I see that Sirius has done the same and wonder how much magic the boy truly knows or if he's just keeping up appearances.

"Miss Black, Miss Grimwood, surely you aren't serious?" the one in the middle says, "They're just first years."

"You'll want to disarm them now," Tessa says, "I know Annalisa knows some tricky magic and I'm sure that Sirius does as well."

"He was second only to me in our lessons as children," Bellatrix says.

The three boys seem to sober up slightly at this and the middle one nods. I throw up a shield as they start to cast spells at us. A lot of them I recognise, but I also know that I would never be able to cast them right now. I don't have enough power and I haven't practiced casting them. I scowl as I realise my shield is weakening.

"We need start on the offensive," Sirius says.

I nod, "Agreed. How's your aim?"

"Good, why?"

"Cover me."

I drop my shield and place my wand in its holster and drop to the floor simultaneously. I know more than these idiots about physical fighting, and if they're going to be taken down, that's the only way. As I start to weave my way to them, Sirius manages to send back some spells of his own. Luckily he has extremely good aim and manages to not hit me. The first boy goes down easily, but the other two caught on quickly and aim all of their spells at me rather than Sirius. I end up being hit by something and flying down the hall. It then only takes them a moment to knock Sirius next to me. Before I can move, they've petrified us both.

"Well that was unexpected," Tessa says, "And rather dull. I expected more from you Annalisa. Father has been training you so hard in the family magic and you didn't use a single bit of it. He will be so displeased."

Even though I'm furious at her, I still feel my blood run cold at the thought of father's temper when he reads that I refused to use family magic. He will be just as mad as he is for me being in Gryffindor.

"Now," Tessa continues, "You're going to listen and learn-"

"Wait," Bellatrix says. She's silent for a moment, "We need to leave, a professor is coming."

They leave and a few seconds later I hear the pounding of someone running toward Sirius and me.

"_Finite incantatum_."

I slowly stand, wanting to be sure that I don't have any unknown injuries from when I hit the floor. When I'm positive that everything is all right, I look at the teacher who released us and am slightly embarrassed to find that it's Professor Anderson.

"Are you two all right?" Professor Anderson asks.

I nod, "Yes. Thank you for assisting us."

Professor Anderson bites his lower lip before nodding, "You're quite welcome Miss Grimwood. Might I ask who it was that attacked you?"

"We don't know Professor," Sirius says, "They attacked us from behind."

Professor Anderson raises his eyebrows, "Is that so? Then how did you land on your backs petrified?"

"Because the floor is slanted in that direction," I say. When his eyebrows raise even higher, I pull out an apple and place it on the floor. It starts to roll away from us in the direction which would have been behind Sirius and myself at the time of our "mysterious" attackers.

"Very well," Professor Anderson says, "I want to have you both checked out by Madam Pomfrey anyway."

"But sir, we're missing our lesson," Sirius says.

"I'm sure they'll do without you. Come along." Professor Anderson motions for us to walk in front of him. I hold back a sigh and just start walking. There's a time and a place for battles, and this is not one of them. Sirius walks alongside me after a moment of hesitation and Professor Anderson brings up the rear.

"How come Misters Potter, Lupin, and Pettigrew weren't caught up in this accident as well?" Professor Anderson asks, "They're usually around you as well."

"They ran ahead of us today," I say, shrugging slightly.

"Of course. You two are unusual for Gryffindors."

I can feel the slight tension that enters my jaw, "Naturally. We were meant to be in Slytherin. Where the rest of our families had been for generations. And then the hat placed us in Gryffindor."

"So if we seem to be unusual for our house, it's because we are," Sirius says. His tone is tight and clipped.

"Right. I'm sorry if I struck a nerve. I was just curious."

"Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?" Sirius asks.

Professor Anderson pauses, "Pardon?"

"Which house were you in? Ravenclaw or Gryffindor?" Sirius asks again.

"Ravenclaw, though barely," Professor Anderson says, "How did you know?"

Sirius smirks, "Just a lucky guess really."

I almost snort, but hold it back just in time. If he actually guessed that then I'll help Peter in Charms for a month. Sirius is too smart and too observant for mere guesses. Especially when it comes to people.

"Well, it was a very good one. Why was the other option Gryffindor?" Professor Anderson asks.

"You're in trouble with the Auror department for deviant behavior," Sirius says, "the only two houses really known for troublemaking are Slytherin and Gryffindor. Since you were caught you are obviously not the former."

Professor Anderson laughs, "Mister Black, you have an incredible mind, has anyone told you that?"

Sirius blinks a couple of times before shaking his head, "They don't need to."

We walk into the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey immediately bustles over.

"What is the matter Professor Anderson?" Madam Pomfrey asks.

Professor Anderson says, "They were petrified when I found them. I want to make sure that neither Miss Grimwood or Mister Black are otherwise hurt."

Madam Pomfrey nods and runs some diagnostic tests. She watches the results for a moment before nodding, "Mister Black is in nearly perfect health. He just needs to eat more during meals. And do not give me that look Mister Black, I have seen the way that you eat at meals sometimes. You cannot allow your worries to affect your eating habits. You are a growing boy and need the nutrition."

Sirius frowns slightly, but nods, "Yes Madam Pomfrey."

"As for Miss Grimwood," Madam Pomfrey says, "She needs to sleep more."

I start to object, but stop when Madam Pomfrey glares at me.

"You are not to argue with me either Miss Grimwood. Your body shows signs of exhaustion. At this age it is especially important that you receive a good amount of sleep because it allows your magical core and your body to grow properly," Madam Pomfrey says.

I bite my tongue to keep from saying anything and just nod.

"If that is all Madam?" Professor Anderson says as he ushers the both of us out, "thank you for your help, have a pleasant day."

Sirius and I walk from the Hospital wing and follow Professor Anderson down the hall for a while until he turns around. He crosses his arms across his chest and frowns at us.

"All right," Professor Anderson says, "I understand wanting to work through a problem on your own. It's completely normal. But I want to tell you that if you need help, you just need to let me know. Or even if it's not me, to let another adult know. You don't need to do everything on your own quite yet."

I hold back a frown, but nod, "We understand Professor. Have a pleasant day."

Sirius and I leave Professor Anderson and start toward Gryffindor Tower, since it's too late to go class. I can tell that Sirius wants to talk, but that he doesn't want to do it in such a public place. I notice that a couple of hairs have come loose from the hold he placed upon them. He either doesn't realise that they've come undone or he's ignoring it, otherwise he would have pushed them back. It shows how distracted he is by this.

"Tabby cat," I say when we reach the portrait. The fat lady swings to the side and we enter the common room. I glance toward the corner we usually sit in and Sirius shakes his head and keeps walking. I follow him upstairs and into the boys dorm.

As Sirius closes the door, I sit on Remus's bed and wait for Sirius to explain what he's thinking. It's a good thing that the four boys are the only ones in their dorm. It's even better that the other three are in class.

Sirius paces and runs a hand through his hair, messing it even more. I undo the bun that my hair is in and redo it, making sure that it's tight and will stay in place.

"Are you going to tell me, or am I going to sit and wait for a whole hour?" I ask.

"Do you ever feel as though you don't belong here?" Sirius asks.

I blink, "I imagine a bunch of students feel-"

"Ann don't do that. You know what I mean."

"Well," I frown slightly, "Honestly, yes. I feel like I'm out of place. A bit like a threstal trying to blend in with unicorns."

Sirius nods, "Exactly. And doesn't that bother you? We're completely rubbish at being Gryffindors. The only time when you've done anything properly Gryffindor is when you were angry at what's her face for stealing your grandmother's locket. Other than that everyone is always commenting on how we're so odd for our house."

"Of course we're going to be odd. We were raised to be Slytherins. And last I knew, they're completely opposite in behaviors and whatnot," I say, "It shouldn't be expected of us to change right over night. It's only been a couple of months."

Sirius sits on his bed and frowns, "I just…I don't want people to look at us oddly anymore, you know?"

I nod, "I know. We just…we need to stop acting how we would at home. We need to stop acting how our families would expect us to."

"Right, maybe we could just slowly work into it?" Sirius asks, "make small changes."

"That could work. That way people won't think that we're trying too hard," I smile, "Hey, I just thought of another time you and I acted like Gryffindors."

"Really? When?"

"First night here when we saved Pete from the lake."

Sirius stares at me for a moment before grinning, "You're right."

"Of course I am," I smirk, "So what do we do first?"

Sirius shrugs and leans against one of the bed posts.

I think for a moment, "Maybe you could stop slicking your hair back? None of the other Gryffindor boys do that."

"That might work," Sirius says, "I'd suggest you stop putting your hair up into a bun, but girls do all sorts of weird things with their hair."

"I know. It confuses me when I see the girls getting ready in the morning," I say. I then frown, "If I could I would start wearing trousers all the time, but with the school rule being what it is…"

Sirius thinks for a moment before grinning, "Ann that's perfect! Though, why do you want to wear trousers all the time?"

"I'm just used to them. I wear them all the time at Grimwood Residence because they're easier to train in and they're just more comfortable to me. It's been odd wearing a skirt for the past couple of months," I say. I make a face as I glance down at the offending object.

"All right," Sirius nods, "I think I'm going to take a quick shower, so do you mind?"

I shake my head, "I'll meet you in the commons, I want to change anyway."

I stand from Remus's bed, making sure that I have my bag on my shoulder, and leave the dorm. I go downstairs, and dart over to the girls' dorms. None of the other girls are back so I take my time changing, throwing the skirt into the bottom of my trunk. Luckily, I had brought plenty of trousers from home, so I change into those and take off the annoying sweater that we have to wear all the time along with the tie. I grab one of the extra charms books that I brought with me from home—it's one of the nicer ones, no Dark magic—before going downstairs. There aren't too many people in the common room so I sit in one of the chairs near the window and open my book to where I last left off. As I read, I roll up the sleeves of my shirt. Why there's a fire going in the fireplace I don't know. It's an unusually warm October and we really don't need the extra heat.

A moment later and Sirius flops into the chair opposite me. His movement isn't as haphazard as a lot of the boys around here—goodness knows he's far too graceful for anything to seem klutzy—but it's a start. And that's when I notice that he really hasn't slicked his hair back. I study him a moment later before he glances up and grins. Sirius then pulls out some parchment and a quill and starts writing. I wait a moment longer before going back to reading my book. As I read, the quick scratches from Sirius's parchment meet my ears and I can't help but wonder what he's writing.

"What are you writing?" The question has left me before I know it and I instantly want to call it back. It's none of my business why he's writing so feverishly. I really shouldn't care.

Sirius barely glances up before going back to his writing, "Letter for Regulus. I haven't written him in a bit and I feel like I'm ignoring him."

I nod even though he's not paying attention and go back to my book. I try to read, but I can't stop thinking about how different the Black brothers are from my own siblings and me. Even though Sirius is at school, he's keeping in contact with his brother and is being nice to him—I'd seen Sirius sending Regulus a packet of chocolate frogs earlier this week—and I'd lost any closeness with my brother years ago. I frown and decide that it's not worth trying to focus on my book. I close it and summon an orb of light. I've been able to summon these for years and no matter how many times I do, they still make me smile. Most kids who grow up in wizarding families know how to summon these orbs of light, but somehow they typically forget by the time they reach Hogwarts. I'm sure the only reason I haven't forgotten is because I'm too stubborn. I bounce it between my palms as I think about my relationship with my siblings.

Tessa's hatred of me is easy enough to figure out. She'd been passed over for being the heir to the Grimwood family. And so she hates me. I hate her because she keeps trying to kill me. Or at least severely maim. I'm not sure which it is. Kind of hard to ask when kitchen knives and other things are being thrown at your head. As for Rowan, I honestly don't know why we're not close anymore. When we were kids, we used to be really close. We were practically attached at the hips. But one day it all started going downhill. And now I don't even know why he doesn't like me. I frown and look out the window with my thoughts a complete mess.

**AN/ Hey y'all, this is going to be the last chapter for a little bit. I need to write some more as I've nearly caught up with myself and I'm also going to be busy with classes and work and whatnot. I'll try to post again sometime in April, but no promises. To anyone who is familiar with my other stories, I know the pace is a lot slower in this one than normal, but I'm going to make it a much longer story and hopefully have more detail in it. **


	8. Chapter Eight

**AN/ Hey all! I know it's been a while since I've posted. Thank you to everyone who has read this and to anyone who is sticking with it even if I don't post regularly. Life is being extra busy right now, so I don't know when I'll next post, but I'll try to post by the end of the month. Enjoy!**

No one mentions anything over the weeks as Sirius and I try to stop acting so Slytherin-ish. Well, almost no one. Sirius's mother keeps sending him letters, and he scowls at them now and just shoves them in his bag. If it weren't for the fact that I know he reads them at night in his dorm, I would expect that he just burns them. Father writes me a couple of times. Mainly to remind me to keep up on my training and to tell me that under no circumstances am I to stay at school for the Yule Holidays. It's only a few days until said holidays and I sigh as I look at the hangings around my bed. Those gits haven't stopped with their bullying.

"Bloody idiots," I mutter. Usually I don't swear, habits from Grimwood Residence sometimes die hard, but right now I don't care. I'm really getting tired of those girls. Marlene has started pushing them around and is trying to get them to stop, but she's the only one. Even Evans, a girl who is supposed to be against bullying, ignores it. Then again, I think she's hoping that if I'm being bullied that I'll get James and Sirius to stop pranking Snape. The difference in these situations is that Snape gets them back with hexes and what not. I'm just waiting to see how much longer this goes on until I blow up again.

I bite my lip, then flick my wand at the drapes, causing them to turn all black. I smile and nod. Let's see them pour ink on that. It's really only the hangings that the girls can bother with now. Everything else is either in my trunk or hidden in my desk under locking spells. Tapping my foot, I try to remember why I came up here and hit my forehead when I remember. I grab one of my books and leave for the boys dorms.

Honestly, I couldn't believe it when I found out, but all four of the boys love a good prank. Remus tries to deny it, or at least he tried to, but now he's usually on board with whatever is going on. Though he does seem to be the voice of reason amongst the four of them, which is kind of scary when I actually think about it. He also does a lot of research for whatever they're planning to do. Peter tends to be their escape and diversion expert. He is usually the one that they have as look out and warns the others before racing off to try and get the attention of whatever teacher, ghost, poltergeist, or prefect is coming. Sirius and James are the unofficial leaders of their ragtag gang. Even then, they serve different jobs. While James comes up with a good number of their ideas, it's Sirius who figures out the kinks. At first I'd thought that Remus would be the person to figure out how to make the pranks work seamlessly, but he just laughed at me when I'd asked.

I knock at their door in the usual pattern for when it's me. The door opens and Remus grins. "We'd thought that you'd gotten lost. We were going to send out a search party."

"Nah, I just had a couple of things to handle first," I say. I then plop down on Remus's bed and look at the gathered boys, "So what's the plan, and why do you need my help?"

James smiles, "Well, we're going to be spreading a little Christmas cheer around the castle. The only problem is that we don't have enough candy canes or chocolate frogs to do such. And you're way better at charms than the rest of us, so we need you to help."

"So you're giving candy to everyone for Yule?" I ask, my eyebrows raised, "Isn't that a little tame for all of you?"

"These are Christmas coloured though!" Remus says. At my look he says, "And if they happen to be able to transform everyone's clothing into elves and reindeer after so many minutes, who are we to blame? We got the candy from a third year who bought them at Honeydukes. They're still in the packaging too."

My eyes narrow and I try to figure out what triggers the transformation, "If that's true, then it's not a potion that you're using. You'd have to put it in the candy, and to do that you'd have to open the packaging. How are you doing it?"

"Through the use of an inactive potion in the morning drinks and a triggering spell on the candy," James says, "The spell isn't too difficult, but the potion took forever to figure out how to brew properly. We kept adding in the wrong ingredient to make it inactive. Instead it ended up blowing up in our faces a lot."

Sirius raises an eyebrow, "Our faces? Last I checked, I was the one who had to go to Madam Pomfrey to get my eyebrows grown back onto my face."

"Oh, that sounds like a story I've got to hear," I say between sniggers.

"You will, I promise. But still, back to business. We need your help in multiplying the candy and in applying the triggering spell," Remus says.

I motion for Remus to hand me his book and look over the triggering spell. I automatically copy it into a journal I'd brought with me and cross reference it in my book from the library at Grimwood Residence. The spell is plausible, but it's going to be tricky. When I tell that to the boys they seem to deflate. I bite my lip and look in the book I have to see if there are any sort of hints about it. When I finally find something I can work with, I copy it down and nod.

"Yes! See, told you Ann would pull through for us!" Sirius and Remus say.

James holds up his hands, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say."

I roll my eyes and mutter the multiplication spell a couple of times under my breath, practicing the movement with a quill before actually trying it with my wand. When the candy multiplies as I wanted it to, I grin. The boys soon catch on and start helping. I have to help Peter a bit as he can't get the spell down at first, but then we're in full swing. All too soon the five of us are surrounded by candy.

I raise an eyebrow and glance at the boys, "What are you going to do with all of this candy? Surely you aren't going to just keep it lying about?"

"Nope!" Sirius says, he then opens his trunk and starts to throw candy into it, "I was given a two compartment trunk. One of the compartments has an extension charm on it, so we can put all the candy we'll need in there."

"Smart…did you figure that out yourself, or did Remus suggest it?" I ask.

Remus smirks, "I might have pointed out our candy problem, but amazingly enough Sirius does have a brain of his own and can use it too."

Sirius's eyes narrow and he throws a frog at Remus's head. Remus glares at the grey eyed boy before throwing a frog right back at him. James decides that he can't be left out of this and throws one at Peter, who looks confused before throwing a frog back at James, missing, and hitting Remus. An all-out war begins and while the boys grab the frogs that they have around them to throw, I duplicate the frogs and banish the copy toward the boys. When Remus sees what I'm doing, he copies me and the two of us manage to corner the other three and pelt them with chocolate frogs.

"Do you give in?" I ask.

"Never!" James shouts, throwing a frog at me. As I duck, the door of the boys' dorm opens and all of us turn in time to watch as the frog hits Professor McGonagall. I have to rely on every last lesson that I had as a child to not wince and run away from the look that the transfiguration professor is giving the five of us.

"Explain yourselves! Now!" she growls.

While the boys scramble over themselves to explain what was going on, I keep an eye on her wand. In my experience, it's always best to know where the wand of an angry adult is pointed. Professor McGonagall frowns and holds up a hand, causing anything that the boys are saying to immediately cease.

"I can see that none of you have the same story, which means that none of you are believable," Professor McGonagall turns to me, "Miss Grimwood, you've been silent throughout their attempts at explaining themselves. Would you care to explain the chocolate frogs and why you are in the boys' dorm?"

"Professor, I'm in the boys' dorm because they wanted help in learning a couple of charms. I'm better than they are at charms, so they asked me. We were working on the duplication charm and the banishing charm," I say. I then look around and shrug, "Things got a little out of hand."

All four boys look at me with complete respect and adoration. I have to hold back a giggle at the sight and wonder why none of them thought of telling the truth before. Professor McGonagall, on the other hand, watches me for a moment more before nodding.

"Very well, I believe you. While I disagree with you being in here, it is reasonable. I hope that you will be more careful in keeping things under control during your instructions Miss Grimwood," Professor McGonagall says, "Be sure to clean this up before you go to bed. Good night.

"Good night Professor McGonagall!" all five of us chorus.

She leaves the room. After waiting a few moments to be sure that she's indeed gone, all of the boys run over and start talking at once.

"That was awesome!"

"You saved our skins!"

"How did you do that?"

"Thank Merlin someone was thinking!"

I hold up a hand and they all quiet down. I sigh and smile, "Maybe you should take a page out of my book. Tell the truth so that it fits your needs."

"Why Ann," Sirius says, smirking, "How Slytherin of you."

I raise an eyebrow, "Surely I don't know what you're talking about. Now, I think you all have some work to do."

"You're going to help, right?" James asks.

"Sure." A moment later, I'm laughing my head off when all four boys are buried in chocolate frogs that I'd levitated above their heads.

~*~AG~*~

"Are you all sure this will work?" I ask.

James raises an eyebrow, "Do you doubt your charms?"

I frown, "No, I doubt the potion and this silly idea in the first place."

"Hey, my potion is perfect!" Sirius snaps. The boy is still rather touchy about it, but with all the apparent explosions that happened in creating it, it's somewhat understandable.

"And the idea is just as good," James says.

Remus shrugs, "I don't know. I agree with Ann on this. Well, with the idea at least. I know the potion is good."

I sigh, "Fine, let's just get this over with."

The four of us work at getting everything done and it doesn't take too long. Peter is stationed near the doors to make sure that we have plenty of warning before any of the teachers, prefects, ghosts, or Peeves can sneak up on us. Once we're all finished with casting the spells, the four of us head for Peter to leave when the pudgy boy comes racing back to us.

"We've got to go, someone's coming," Peter whispers.

I feel a rush of panic and shove it down. We've got to get out of here first, then we can panic. I look around the room and see a door behind the head table. I poke the boys and point in that direction. They all nod and the five of us make our way over there. I stick to the back of the group, just in case they need a diversion to get away. I run faster than any of them most likely, so I'm the most logical choice. Right as the main door is starting to open, I'm closing the door we all had gone through, and I look around.

"What is this place?" James mutters.

"Shh! Move," Remus whispers.

I barely hear him, but follow the boy anyway. The worst thing that could happen is that we get lost and have to call for help, earning a detention. I hear Peter muttering under his breath and want to hit the boy upside the head, but know that would cause even more noise. Plus, from what I can tell, there's no one around at the moment. Still, it is rather annoying. We reach an intersection and are about to pick a direction when we hear voices coming from one of the other corridors.

"Come on, over here!" James hisses.

All of us follow him and end up squished together in an alcove behind a rather large statue. I know it's big enough that we shouldn't be seen unless someone is really looking for us, but I wish the hazel eyed boy had figured out a better hiding spot. I somehow end up with Remus squished against my back while I'm squashed up against Sirius's chest.

Sirius snorts and whispers, "Ann, your hair is in my mouth."

"Be quiet," James hisses.

I roll my eyes and hold back a growl when I feel someone push Remus into me, causing me to be pressed further against Sirius. Remus is muttering so softly I can barely hear him. A few moments later and the footsteps turn down the hall that we're in and all five of us shut up.

"Albus, are the rumors true?" Professor McGonagall asks.

"I'm not certain Minerva, but I fear they will be true before too long," Professor Dumbledore says.

Professor McGonagall sighs, "I never thought that Tom would do anything like that."

"No one else did either, my dear. Myself included. Still, we shall wait and see where this leads," Professor Dumbledore says.

"I just hope that our waiting does not lead to more trouble down the road," Professor McGonagall says.

The footsteps fade down the hall and we hear a door open and close not too long after. Almost immediately after that all of us burst out of our hiding spot and I turn to James with narrow eyes, "Next time we need a hiding spot, you're not the one to pick it out."

"Oh, don't whine," James says, rolling his eyes.

My retort is stopped by Remus, who places a hand on my shoulder and then asks the group at large, "Does anyone know what Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore were talking about?"

All of us shake our heads.

"I could always ask dad," James says.

Peter nods, "That could work."

"All right, can we not discuss this in the middle of a hall way when we're out after curfew?" I ask, "I'd rather not be stuck between Sirius and Remus again."

We set out again, trying to find our way back to one of the familiar halls so we can get back to the common room. We have to take a couple of detours so that we don't get caught, and Peter ends up stuck in a trick stair once. By the time we make it back to the common room, it's nearing two in the morning and I am a hairsbreadth away from seriously maiming one of the guys. I glance at the couch longingly, but decide that it would probably be a better idea to just collapse on my bed.

"Never, are we doing that again," Remus says, "We need multiple escape routes planned next time. Even if we need to hop out a window."

"Oh yeah, that'd be fantastic, hop out a window when we're on the third floor or higher," I mutter.

Remus only grins, and I wonder who ever claimed that he was the good one out of the first year Gryffindors? Whoever it was needs their head examined, immediately.

"So when are we going down to eat?" Peter asks, "Usual time or do we want to get there early?"

"I don't see why we can't go down early," James says, "I don't think the teachers will think it's us just because of that."

"Well while you all decide, I'm going to sleep," I say, "G'night."

"Night," all four boys chorus.


	9. Chapter Nine

I scratch my head as I walk down the stairs to meet the boys in the common room. As usual, Remus is already waiting and smiles as I walk up to him. He closes the book he was reading and smirks when I yawn.

"I thought you were going to swallow your face for a moment there," Remus says.

I shrug and mutter, "Too tired. I didn't sleep well last night."

Remus frowns, "Why not?"

"Nightmare," I say, then shrug and smile, "No big deal, just imagining that Professor McGonagall found us out and chased us all around the castle."

_'Liar! You know that you dreamed of something much worse than that last night.'_

"Yeah, that would be bad," Remus frowns, then sighs, "Why do I let those three talk me into situations that could get me into trouble?"

"Because you like the r-r-rush," Sirius says as he walks up, yawning on the last word.

"Sounds like you need more sleep too," I say.

Sirius only nods. When James—still bright eyed and bushy tailed in spite of only getting about five hours of sleep—comes bounding over to us, dragging Peter, we all finally leave for breakfast. I barely pay attention to where we're going, instead focusing most of my attention on my conversation with Remus about a recent article in _The Charms Catalogue_. I'm still excited that there's someone else who reads it in Gryffindor. I was worried I'd have to find a Ravenclaw to have a decent discussion with.

We enter the Great Hall and I notice that there aren't too many people up. Most of them are Ravenclaws who have their noses shoved into their books. Not that I should say anything, as when we sit down I pull out one of my books and get back to reading.

"Is that all you two do? Read?" Sirius asks.

I raise an eyebrow, not moving my eyes from the page, "How else do you think we know so much?"

James laughs, "I thought you pulled your knowledge from thin air."

"Not everyone is an idiot like you Potter," Evans says as she walks by.

"And not everyone sticks their nose in where it doesn't belong like you Evans," Sirius says, his voice sounding much louder than it is in the quiet.

"Sirius, enough," Remus says before turning to Evans, "Sorry about him, we're still training him."

"Training? What am I? A dog?" Sirius asks.

Remus grins, "It fits."

Sirius's eyes narrow.

"Remus does have a point," Peter says, "With Sirius being the brightest star in Canis Major."

"I'm well aware of that Peter," Sirius growls, still glaring at Remus. Remus smiles and goes back to his reading.

It doesn't take long for the Great Hall to fill up. People are eating and talking when the first person turns into an elf. After that, it all goes wonderfully with people turning into elves or reindeer. I grab one of the candy canes and pop one end of it in my mouth. That's one thing that we learned from the prank in November. If we avoid being affected by the prank, we look entirely too guilty. Unless we get down to the Great Hall late enough for it to not affect us. A few moments later and I hear a bell ring as I feel a hat pop into existence on my head. I glance up and flick the bell at the tip of my hat before going back to my reading.

"Potter! Black! Grimwood! This is your fault!" Evans says as she storms over. There are little antlers on her head and a collar with bells on it is around her neck.

I raise an eyebrow and point to my hat, "If it was my fault, would I have gotten myself caught in it?"

Evans snorts, "If you didn't help them, then I want to know who did. After all, these two aren't good enough at charms to do this."

"Just because we're unmotivated to work hard in class does not mean we can't do something," Sirius says.

I watch as a verbal fight erupts amongst Evans, Sirius, and James. I roll my eyes and raise an eyebrow at Remus. He glances between the group of arguing first years, a pitcher of water, and me. I wink and levitate one pitcher of water while he gets another. We wait a few moments before dumping the liquid onto the trio. All three of them sputter and glare at Remus and I as the two of us fight the urge to laugh.

"Not you too Remus," Evans groans, "I thought you were more responsible than that."

Remus shrugs, "We're going to be late for class if you keep arguing with them."

Evans glances at the time in surprise before running to get her bag and leave the Great Hall. I snicker and place a book mark in my book before shoving it in my bag and following the boys from the hall. Marlene catches up with me and the two of us chat about our latest Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

~*~AG~*~

"I really do not want to return to Grimwood Residence for Yule," I say as I sit down for breakfast on the day everyone is supposed to leave for break.

Sirius gives a sympathetic smile, "At least it isn't that long."

I frown slightly, "It does not matter. I shall just have to take whatever drivel mother and father give me and remember that I return to Hogwarts in January."

"Why are you talking all funny Ann?" Peter asks.

"What are you talking about?" I ask.

Remus clears his throat, "He means you're enunciating things more and—"

"Pureblood drawl," James says, cutting Remus off.

I blink and turn to Sirius with raised eyebrows, "Am I really?"

"Yes, yes you are." Sirius nods.

I sigh and drop my head onto the table, hoping that this Yule won't reverse whatever progress I've made in reversing my family's habits on me.

~*~AG~*~

James, Peter, and I all get off of the train. I look around the snow covered platform. Maybe if I can find my mother before she sees me then I can avoid her. I can't help but think that Sirius and Remus are lucky in that they're staying at Hogwarts for the holidays. However, when I do find my mother in the crowd, I notice that she's staring right at me as though she knows what I'm thinking. I sigh and glance at the boys.

"See you after the holidays then?" I ask.

James and Peter nod. I give them a quick nod before walking off to join my mother. I bow to her when I reach her.

"You should not have taken so long," mother says. She grabs my shoulder and disapparates.

When we arrive at the house, I have to stop myself from gasping for breath. Mother always loves to disapparate without warning, which is not good if one likes to be able to breathe. And showing any kind of weakness while in the presence of anyone in my family is never a good idea. So I just stand next to the woman, my ribs and lungs aching, and wait for her to dismiss me.

"Go to your father in the training room. He is waiting for you. The elf will take care of putting your belongings in your room," mother says before turning on her heel and leaving the hall.

I'm slightly surprised that she hasn't decided to punish me right away—Merlin knows she's threatened to often enough in the letters that she's sent me. But that could just mean that she's planning something truly horrible. I hold back a grimace at the thought and go to the training room as fast as possible. It will not due to leave father waiting for long. I take off my outer cloak and make sure that the bun my hair is in is still tight. When I enter the training room, I immediately have a shield up. I'm slightly surprised when I find father just standing in the middle of the room and his wand isn't even out. I scan the room as I walk toward him. Knowing father, this could all be a trap.

"You wished to see me father?" I call.

Father looks up, "Yes. I heard from Tessa that even though you have been cornered by her multiple times during the year, that you have yet to fight back at your full potential. Why?"

I barely stop my eyes from widening as I grasp at thoughts to find a reason that my father will accept. Finally I say, "Because I am consistently being watched. I am a Grimwood in Gryffindor, and this makes many of the teachers and other students suspicious of me. Therefore, I am at times overly cautious to not show my hand. I do not need someone seeing my full potential and reporting it to one of the professors."

"Indeed?" he asks.

"Yes father. However even if I were not being watched closely, I would admit a certain reluctance to show my full potential anyway. I feel it is best that people underestimate me at least for my first couple of years. Plus, I feel as though Hogwarts herself would not appreciate darker magic being used in her halls," I say. That last part is the truth. I honestly don't think that the castle would approve of dark magic being used in her halls.

"Very well, your answer is acceptable at the moment. Now, though, you are to show me everything that you have learned up to this point," father says. He then conjures a dueling dummy that looks entirely too human.

I feel my heart rate pick up and I bite my lip, trying to figure out what to do. To disobey father would surely mean punishment, and it would probably be even worse than whatever mother has planned. But as I look at the dummy, I can't. Part of me wants to. I can see where the best parts to attack would be and how I would go about "killing" this dummy. But a little voice in my head tells me that I shouldn't. My shoulders sag and I shake my head, "I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't."

Father's eyes narrow, "What do you mean can't?" He waits a moment before asking me again, "What do you mean you can't?"

"Exactly that. I don't know why, but I just can't. I can't attack it," I say.

"Annalisa, that is unacceptable," Father says.

"I know, but—"

"Do not speak! There is no excuse you could give for this weakness!" Father says. I get the barest hint of a warning before I feel a spell blast me away from him. I automatically tuck into a ball and roll with the momentum. When I stop, I dodge to the side, watching a spell hit where I had been moments before. I keep moving to avoid his spells and realise that he must be in quite the fury. Still, I manage to avoid his spells for a while until one trips me up and I end up sprawled on the ground. Before I can move, a stunning spell hits me and I black out.

~*~AG~*~

I wake up in the cellar and groan as I sit up, being careful to duck my head. I don't need to crack it open if I'm at the part where the ceiling is really low. A few moments later and I figure out that I'm in the main part of the cellar and not the tiny part. Dripping water echoes around me and I look around, trying to find any light source. However, with it being as dark as it is in here, it's useless and I just lean against the wall.

_'Well you've done it now. You're stuck in the cellar, again, and there's no way out. Want to start placing bets on how long it'll take for you to get out this time?' _

I roll my eyes, "Come on Grimwood, stop being so dramatic."

_'It's not dramatics if it's true.' _The little voice in my head continues, _'Besides, it's all your fault anyway.'_

"And how is it my fault? I didn't tell father to lock me in here," I mutter.

_'It's your fault because you told father that you couldn't do what he wanted you to.'_

"I couldn't! I couldn't hurt that dummy. It looked too much like a real person," I say. I brush my hands along the ground, picking up small stones and collecting them. After I have a good amount, I start throwing them into the dark, listening for when they hit the walls.

_'Oh really? That's why you didn't do it? Are you sure about that?'_

I growl, throwing another stone, "Yes!"

_'Fine, be stubborn, but we both know better. You're just scared to find out that you're just as bad as the rest of them. That once you start, that you won't stop,' _the voice whispers, sounding entirely too happy about this fact, _'You're worried that you're just another Grimwood._'

"Shut up."

_'Sadistic…'_

"Shut up!"

_'Remorseless…'_

"Shut up!"

_'Dark…'_

"Shut. Up."

_'But worst of all…worst of all is that you'll get people close to you. People you call friends. And then, when it's between them and you…you'll stab them in the back.'_

"SHUT UP!"

There's a clatter of rocks hitting the walls and I curl up in a ball. It can't be true. It just can't be.

**AN/ Thank you to everyone who is reading this, reviewing, and favoriting it. I know this chapter is a little(ok a lot) darker than it's been in a bit, but it will get happier...eventually...Sorry, but I like torturing my characters too much! Anyway, there's one more chapter for their first year, then there will be a couple of summer chapters, and then into second year. Thank you for reading and I hope you review!**


	10. Chapter Ten

On the Express I find where the guys are sitting and pass by their compartment. There's an empty compartment at the back where I sit, pulling down all of the shades and just leaving my trunk in the aisle. I grab a book from it, prop my feet on the lid and start to read. The train rattles along the tracks and I feel my exhaustion from break sneaking up on me, lulling me toward sleep with the help of the swaying of the train. I shake my head and focus on my book. I don't want to fall asleep. Unfortunately, that doesn't help much when I do drift off.

_Running. Continuously running. There are spells flying all around and the dummies are reaching out with their all too real hands to grab at me. I duck and dodge around them, but no matter what I do, I'm soon surrounded by them. I try stunning them, binding them, and even try using a shield spell. None of them work. Finally I start using dark magic and watch with fascination and horror as those spells work. Fake blood starts appearing, but I'm firing spells off as quickly as I can, my core draining quickly because of the spells I'm using. I'm breathing heavily when I realise that if I continue this way that I'll end up unconscious. My eyes narrow as I go through all the various weapons I have on me. The only thing that I have which would work with any efficiency is my dagger. But that means getting closer than I'd like to the dummies. I put my wand away and pull out my dagger. A moment later and I feel blood run down my hand as I start cutting through the dummies. In that moment, with the blood all around, and the chaos of just trying to stay out of their grasps and away from Merlin knows what plan my father has, I feel oddly giddy. My knife slides through another dummy, and I smile._

A noise in my compartment wakes me up suddenly and I grab my dagger. By the time I realise who's in my compartment, I have my knife against their neck. Hazel eyes widen and James blinks a couple of times as I start to fully wake up. I pull my knife away from him and sheath it.

"What are you doing here James?" I ask.

He shrugs, "I went looking for you because we were getting worried. We hadn't heard from you in a while and you didn't show up in our compartment. So I went looking for you. I was about to give up when I heard someone whimpering in here. Were you having a bad dream?"

"Doesn't matter. I'm all right. I'm just really not in the mood to be around other people right now," I say.

"Are you sure you're all right Ann? You look a bit pale," James says.

"I'm fine. Just…please go," I say.

James frowns, but nods and leaves the compartment. I sigh and fall back to my seat. Sighing, I grab my book again and find where I had left off.

~*~AG~*~

It takes a few weeks for one of the guys to finally corner me. I'm rather good at avoiding people that I don't want to see, but it seems that Peter is better at finding people who don't want to be found than I'd thought.

"Come on Ann," Peter says, "I promise that it will just be you and Sirius. The rest of us figure that this is something he'd understand better than the rest of us, so please just talk to him. We miss you, and distancing yourself from us can't be good."

I sigh and finally look up from my essay, "I do not promise anything, but if accompanying you is the only way to get you to stop pestering me so that I may finish my essay, then so be it."

Peter waits for me to gather my things and we walk through the nearly empty halls. It's silent and tense between us, and even though Peter and I have never been extremely talkative with each other it's still very odd for us to walk to the common room completely silent. As we walk into the common room, I pull my hair up into a bun, feeling slightly annoyed that I can't make it as tight or as neat as I want to. Remus and James stand and head upstairs to the boys' dorm and I grip the shoulder strap of my bag a little tighter.

"Well?" I ask, "I have an essay that I need to finish."

Sirius stands, "Right. Do you want to drop off your bag or just leave? I don't think that you want to talk here."

"Assuredly not. We should just leave," I say. I frown and turn around, exiting the door that I'd just walked through. I can hear Sirius behind me and feel slightly annoyed that he's making so much noise. We go up to the top of one of the towers and climb out onto the roof. A few yards away and we climb over another small wall and settle against it. From the look of the area, it used to actually be a balcony on the roof. But the door has been walled up and there are a lot of spider webs under the eaves. The wind isn't blowing too hard, but I'm still glad that I tied my hair back.

"Ann, what happened over break? You haven't talked with us since you got back and you've been avoiding everyone," Sirius says.

"So I've been focusing on my studies? What's the problem with that?" I avoid looking at Sirius.

Sirius scoffs, "As if you need to focus on your studies. You're one of the smartest people here."

I don't say anything and just look out over the lake.

"Listen, Ann…you don't have to tell me whatever it is that happened. I just…we just want our friend back," Sirius whispers.

I sigh. _'You've been avoiding them for a while Grimwood. You really should stop.'_

_'What if you hurt them though? It's completely possible. Hurting people happens a lot in your family.'_

_ 'But you're not your family. Isn't this why you were sorted into Gryffindor in the first place?'_

_'That was a fluke.'_

_ 'It wasn't and you know it! Stop hiding and start acting like a Gryffindor. Just because something can happen, doesn't mean that it will.'_

I rub the back of my neck . I turn to Sirius and nod, "All right. I…I'm not going to tell you why I've been avoiding you. That's not something that you need to know. But I will try to stop avoiding you all so much."

"Thank Merlin," Sirius mutters, then smiles, "I'm glad, Ann. I really am."

I chuckle, "Yeah, well I figured that if I didn't, you all wouldn't stop giving me puppy dog eyes from the end of the table at meals."

"I told James that it was working!" Sirius says. He laughs, "James thought that we should just kidnap you, but luckily Remus agreed with me that it would be a bad idea."

I bite my lip and say, "Yes, yes it would be!"

"Would you say that it would be a grim mistake?" Sirius asks.

I blink and glance at Sirius. When I see the smile on his face, I can't hold it in anymore and start laughing. Less than a second later and Sirius joins me and we're leaning against each other laughing.

~*~AG~*~

After talking with Sirius, the rest of the school year seems to pass very quickly. It's a blur of pranks, school work, detention, and a whole slew of other things. We find out that James is rather scared of spiders, though he won't admit it, and the guys have fun for a couple of days teasing him. Of course, this was found out while preparing for the "After-April-Fool's-Day-Prank", which ended up giving thirty students panic attacks, and sent one teacher screaming. Professor McGonagall wasn't too impressed and gave us detention for a month. Of course, that didn't really deter any of us from laughing all the way back to the dorms.

Though now we're going through our finals and Peter is annoying us with questions about charms and I'm half tempted to sew his lips shut. My right hand keeps twitching and I have to stop myself from reaching for my wand and actually jinxing him.

"Pete, mate, you might want to stop bothering Ann with your questions or else she might try one of her new spells on you," James says.

Peter looks at me with wide eyes before nodding and backing away.

Remus and Sirius start bickering over something to do with potions and James is trying to teach Peter what he needs to learn about charms. I sit there for a moment before finally snapping my book shut and leaving their dorm for mine. Even though I don't usually mind being around the boys for study sessions, with finals coming up, I want to make sure that I can pass my History class. And since I either fall asleep or end up doing something other than paying attention to Binns during that class, I have a lot of catching up to do. I frown at how loud it is in the common room and hope that the sound won't travel up to the girl's dorms. I walk in and sigh in relief when the noise cuts down quite a bit and there's no one in here. I wouldn't mind if Marlene was in here, but that Evans and the other two idiots aren't here is a definite bonus.

I settle on my bed when the door opens again and Lollick walks in. She pauses and watches me, looking uncertain as to if she should be in here. I roll my eyes and open my book.

"You can come in," I drawl, "I don't practice dark magic until every fifth blue moon."

The door closes and Lollick walks over to her bed, still looking rather weary. She settles on her bed on the opposite side of the room and starts working on her charms. I roll my eyes and go back to memorizing what Remus says that Binns has said will be on the final. After a few moments though, the noise in the common room increases and I growl, glaring at the door. I look over at Lollick and see that she looks slightly annoyed. I grab my wand and aim at the door, "S_ilencio_."

Lollick looks up with wide eyes, "What did you-"

"Think you silly girl, I used a silencing charm on the door. I don't know about you, but all of that noise was bothering me," I say, trying exceedingly hard not to snap at her.

"Oh…right…" Lollick goes back to her studying.

I roll my eyes yet again and get back to my studying. It's not long though until Lollick begins muttering under her breath as the charm she's trying to master is getting the better of her. I wait a few more minutes, hoping that she'll calm down a bit, but it seems as though she's just going to get louder. Sure enough, she starts talking to herself and flipping through her book fast enough that I'm surprised that she doesn't end up cut.

"Ugh! Forget it, I will never get this!" Lollick says, throwing the book at her headboard.

"Do you want help?" I ask.

She blinks at me for a moment, "What?"

"Do you want me to help you?" I ask.

"I…well…are you sure?"

I raise an eyebrow, "Do you think I'd be asking if I wasn't sure?"

"Well maybe you're trying to be nice," Lollick says, sounding as though she doesn't believe it.

I snort, "Right, you don't think I'm nice. If you don't want my help then I can get back to my studying."

"No…I…if you really want to help, that'd be nice."

"All right," I nod, "What spell are you working on?"

"I still can't get a hang of the _lumos_ charm," Lollick says, "I can get it to maybe be as bright as a matchstick, but then it goes out."

I nod and turn down the lights a bit, "It seems that maybe you're not putting enough power into the spell. Either that, or you're just not holding it long enough. Do you understand what I mean by that?"

Lollick slowly nods, "I think so. How do I put more power into a spell?"

"Ok, first of all, you need to mean it. You have to want to do the spell. Secondly, if you can imagine what you want the magic to do in your head, that will help your magic understand what you want to do than if you just try to force it. Finally, magic is a part of you. You shouldn't have to force it," I explain, "I know that it's not a really clear explanation, but honestly magic isn't clear cut."

"I think I understand what you're talking about," Lollick says. She then closes her eyes and tries again. This time her wand lights. She smiles and jumps up and down at the sight, "Oh my god! Thank you so much!"

I shrug, "Yeah, sure."

Lollick hesitates before asking, "So…does this mean that we're friends?"

I look at the girl with raised eyebrows, "Wait, you think my helping you with charms means that we're friends now?"

"Well…maybe."

I laugh for a moment before shaking my head, "No, we're not friends."

"But…"

"Listen, just because I help you in charms doesn't mean that I want to be friends. Really, all I want is for the dorm to be quiet so I can study. I can't do that if you're in here grumbling about not being able to do a simple spell," I say. I shrug and flop back onto my bed.

Lollick narrows her eyes, "You really are a horrible person. I don't know why I ever doubted Sarah."

I raise an eyebrow, "Oh, so that's what McDowell's been whispering behind my back. Well you know what. Go ahead and believe her. Follow her like some mindless little puffskein. I don't care."

Lollick leaves the room in a huff and I just flip through my book until I reach where I left off. A few moments later and there's a knock at the door before Marlene sticks her head in.

"Hey. Thought that I'd find you here. Hanah Lollick is in the common room saying that you were being mean to her by the way," Marlene says.

I shrug, "She can say what she wants to. All I did was tell her the truth and help her finally get the _lumos_ spell down."

"Really?" Marlene's eyes widen, "You helped her out and she's lying about it? Wow…what a git."

"Yep!" I say before laughing, "I really don't care anymore."

"Understandable. You want to study with me?" Marlene asks.

"Study, with you?" I pretend to take offense at the idea. When Marlene just raises an eyebrow at me I laugh and nod, "Sure. But you're explaining the whole Julian de Marquette thing."

Marlene grins and nods.

~*~AG~*~

"FREEDOM!" James shouts as we're getting ready to get onto the Hogwarts express.

"Dear Merlin, James you don't have to be so loud!" Remus scolds.

I grin, "Oh come on Remus, let the boy celebrate a little. He's probably excited that he scraped by enough passing scores to continue onto his second year."

James glares at me and sticks out his tongue. Sirius reaches up and grabs James's tongue before the boy can pull it back in and whines.

"Well at least we finally knows who can control James," Remus says.

Peter nods, "But who controls Sirius?"

Remus and Peter look at each other for a moment before turning to me. I raise my eyebrows and put my hands on my hips.

"You really want me to be in control of those two nutters?" I ask, "Just think about it for a moment Remus."

We climb on the train as Remus debates it in his head and he bites his lip, "You're right. For some reason, the thought of you controlling both Sirius and James just scares me."

Peter seems to get the same idea, because he nods quickly, his hair flopping back and forth, "Yeah, that doesn't seem like a good idea. Remus, can you just keep control of them?"

Remus gives a dramatic sigh, "I'll probably go insane from it, but I shall do my best."

Sirius and James glance at each other. Sirius releases James's tongue and they ask, "What do you mean go insane? Aren't you already there?"

I duck out of the way as the three first years take off running down the corridor. Remus yelling at the other two and threatening them with various forms of torture. I grin and throw an arm around Peter's shoulders.

"Whelp, looks like it's just you and me," I say, "how about we go find a compartment and wait for them to calm down a bit?"

Peter nods, "Sounds like a good idea. I've got a set of snap cards if you wanna play."

"Perfect." The two of us chat as we find and settle into a compartment and begin to play.

**AN/ Hey all, sorry that it's taken so long for me to get out the next chapter. My family just moved and it's been a state of chaos for a couple of weeks here. Plus it doesn't help that we forgot the internet router piece at our old home and it had to be mailed to our new one. *le sigh* At any rate, this is the end of their first year of Hogwarts *sniffles* I feel so proud of them. Anyway, I should be updating again soon (not much for me to do around here until my orientation for my new school and organizing the new house.) and there will be a couple of summer chapters and then second year will start.**

**And because I'm feeling nice, here's a preview of the next chapter...**

_"Who are you to disturb us?" Lord Black asks, his voice deeper and darker. He does not sound pleased at all._

_The person in the middle steps forward, "We are an envoy from our Lord. We ask that we be granted a hearing with this mighty gathering for a mere moment before being on our way."_

_"And just whom is your Lord?" Lord Black asks._

_"We are of Lord Voldemort."_


	11. Chapter Eleven Summer Before Second Year

I practice the new move with my sword again, being sure to keep my balance and make a smooth transition into a blocking position. A few more times and I have one of the animated dummies step forward and spar with me for a few moments so I can practice the move against someone who is, somewhat, able to work on impulse. It doesn't take long for me to best the dummy and I bring forth another one, also beating it relatively easily.

"You're getting better," Father says. "Now go get changed. Your aunt is coming for a visit and you do not need to be improperly dressed."

"Yes father," I say. I sheath my sword and bow to him before leaving. Once I'm in my room, I grin in excitement at the thought of seeing my aunt. Aunt Peggiola, or Aunt Peg for short, is one of my favorite relatives. She's always been really nice to me, and luckily mother and father don't mind me being around her. After freshening up, I put on the appropriate clothing and head for the parlor room. Before I walk in though, I hear voices and, on impulse, listen to the conversation.

"Peg, are you sure that you're keeping a good eye on her?" Mother asks.

Aunt Peg laughs, "Of course, dear. Merlin knows that your daughter gets into enough trouble as it is. I always keep her busy when she's visiting."

I smile, thinking of all the fun that we've had when I've stayed at Aunt Peg's house.

"Yes we are aware. And you've done a marvelous job engraining yourself with Annalisa. We just hope that you will be able to use that to usher her toward the correct path that she needs to take," Mother says, "she's been rather…adverse to anything that Gerladim or I try to teach her."

"Well, it helps that little Annalisa is entirely too trusting. She's exceedingly easy to manipulate, so I have no worries. She will soon be the perfect pureblood daughter," Aunt Peg says, "Even if she is a Gryffindor."

I feel my heart drop at that. Aunt Peg has been manipulating me? Did she mean anything that she's said? I feel like curling up in a ball and crying, but soon decide on a better way of getting back at her. I smile as I go into the kitchen, and when I see the tea tray, I tell the house elf that I'll bring in and that mother wanted dinner to be extra special tonight because of Aunt Peg being here. I bring the tea tray with me to the parlor and open the door. Mother's eyes narrow and I hold back a grin.

"Why is Ophie not bringing in the tea?" Mother asks.

"She is currently busy preparing dinner. I asked her to make something special because Aunt Peg is here and I haven't seen her for a while," I smile at my Aunt, "I am hoping that we'll be able to talk for a bit."

Aunt Peg smiles and nods, "I'm sure we'll be able to."

"Excellent. Shall I serve?" I ask. At mother's nod, I pour the tea and serve mother first. As I hand the cup to Aunt Peg, my hand tips just enough and she can't grab the cup, spilling it all over herself.

"Oh! Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Aunt Peg jumps from her chair, pulling her clothing away from her skin.

My eyes widen and I put a hand to my mouth, "Merlin, I am so sorry! I should have been sure that you had the cup before letting go!"

Aunt Peg tries to smile and nods, "Quite alright. May I have a change of robes though?"

"Yes, just give me a moment to retrieve them. You could change in the bathroom just across the hall," I say before bowing out of the room and going to one of the spare rooms. Inside the wardrobe, I find a very garish set of robes and smile. I put a temporary concealing charm on them so that they look like plain black robes and bring them to the bathroom that Aunt Peg is waiting in. I knock on the door before opening it long enough for me to pass the robes through before returning to the parlor.

"Did you give your Aunt appropriate robes?" mother asks.

"Yes mother," I say.

A few moments later and Aunt Peg walks in. I'm glad that the spell hasn't worn off yet, because hopefully that will take a bit of suspicion off of me. I sit and listen to mother and Aunt Peg talk, planning different things that I could do to take off my frustration and disappointment at Aunt Peg being a liar. Finally the spell wears off and Aunt Peg looks gob smacked at the sight of the bright orange, blue, green, and violet paisley patterned robes with sequins on the hems of the sleeves, neck, and bottom.

Mother blinks and frowns at Aunt Peg, "Peggiola, what in Salazar have you done to those robes?"

While they try to figure out what happened with the robes, I just sit back and munch on a biscuit. Merlin, I love causing a little bit of chaos.

)o(Remus Lupin's House)o(

Remus finishes setting the table for dinner and ducks as a stuffed animal goes flying overhead. Pep and Helen have begun fighting over something or another. Remus chuckles and splits the girls up, getting them to help in finishing making dinner. Their dad should be home shortly and their mother is off visiting her sister for the weekend.

"Helen, be careful with that bread," Remus says, watching his youngest sister toddle off with a bread bowl that's nearly as big as she is. He then gives Pep a bowl of salad and he brings over the chicken. Remus glances at the clock and sighs. Dad is late again. Just as Remus is about to tell his sisters to sit down and that they'll just save their dad a plate, the door opens and their dad walks in.

"Daddy!" both girls run toward the man and hug his legs.

"Woah, hello girls. I hope you behaved for your brother today," dad says.

"Yes daddy, we did," Pep says, nodding fast enough that her curly brown hair bounces back and forth.

Dad smiles, "Good, good. Hey Rem, dinner smells amazing."

Remus smiles, "Thanks dad. We were getting ready to sit down and eat when you walked in."

"Ah, good timing as always then," dad says, "Well, let's eat!"

Remus looks around as his family is eating and smiles. He loves that their family sits down to eat together every night. Even with his father almost being late, or actually being late, every night they've gotten used to him walking in just before dinner is going to be served. It's when Helen is talking about some fairy that her and Pep were chasing by the creek that Remus hears it. A light crack from outside, as though a stick was broken as someone stepped on it. Remus stops and tilts his head, listening to see if it was an animal or something else. He can feel the wolf pacing just below the surface, feeling just as weary as he is.

"Rem, what's the matter?" dad asks, picking up on Remus's weariness.

"I think someone's outside," Remus mutters. A moment later Remus also smells smoke and his eyes widen, "Da, I smell smoke!"

His dad's eyes widen and he stands back from the table. Before he can take a step, the glass from the front room is blown in, causing the girls to scream and Remus pulls them toward himself, hoping to block some of the glass from getting in their eyes.

"Remus, take the girls and run!" dad yells, "Go Remus, now!"

Remus nods, picking up both girls and sprinting for the back door. Both girls have managed to quit yelling and are keeping quiet, even though tears are running down their faces. The night is cool, and is perfect. The moon, in waning crescent, is fighting with the sun for dominance of the sky. However since they both are low on the horizon, it's still rather dark. Of course, Remus can see a little better than other people because of the wolf, but he ignores that thought and runs right up to the forest that surrounds their home.

"Helen, Pep, keep your heads down, all right. I don't want you to get hit with a branch," Remus says.

They both nod and put their heads down, hiding in the crooks of his neck. Before running into the forest though, Remus pauses and looks back. There's a fire at the front of the house, and there are black robed people surrounding the area. That's when Remus sees his dad in the middle of the figures, firing off spells to try and ward them off. Remus swallows and then runs into the woods, not going back to help his dad, even though he and the wolf want to. Remus runs through the paths that he knows so well and it isn't long until he arrives at a cave that he discovered a few years ago.

"All right girls, ok," Remus says, setting them down, "I know this isn't the most comfortable spot, but we'll be ok here."

Helen frowns, "Is daddy going to be ok?"

"I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see," Remus says.

"But I don't want to wait, I want daddy," Helen whines.

Remus takes in a deep breath before saying, "I know, but daddy can't be here right now. Come on, let's go inside and wait. You two can get some sleep while we wait."

Luckily, Pep takes Helen's hand and leads her into the cave. They both curl up against the back wall and huddle together. Remus pulls his wand from the holster on his arm and holds it in front of himself, sitting closer to the opening of the cave so that if any of those robed people come by, he can stop them.

'_And how will you stop them? You just finished your first year while they're adults. Plus, they probably know a bunch of dark magic. The best you can do is stick your wand in their eye,'_ Remus thinks before shaking his head. He can't start thinking negatively. He has to watch out for his sisters and doesn't have time for thinking negatively. Remus settles against the wall of the cave, listening for anyone coming near and watching his sisters. They've fallen asleep and Remus sends out a little prayer, hoping that his dad is all right.

Remus is starting to drift off when a snap from a branch and the sound of rocks knocking together alerts him to someone being nearby. Remus sneaks closer to Pep and Helen. Pep opens her eyes and they widen when she hears voices. Remus motions for her to be quiet and lays in front of them, blocking both girls from view.

"I'm telling you, those little twerps won't be hanging around in the forest. Not with so many things that could eat them," a woman's voice says.

"Forgive me for not believing you, but you're not exactly known for your mothering instincts," another woman says.

Remus recognizes the voices, but doesn't know where from.

A man cuts in, "Just hurry up and check that cave. We need to report back soon."

Remus shuts his eyes and tries to calm down his heart rate. He can hear one of the people walking closer and he just hopes that the person somehow misses them. Remus opens his eyes and they instantly widen. There's one of the robed people standing not three feet from him and his sisters. He can see their bone white mask clearly and can smell the smoke and blood coming off of them. They also have this odd smell that reminds him of Sirius for some reason.

"Any wittle kiddies about here?" the woman mutters, looking around, her wand in front of her and glowing an eerie green, "Come out, come out wherever you are."

Remus swallows and looks at his sister. Pep's eyes are really wide and she seems to be breathing rapidly. Remus can tell that the woman seems to be staying in the cave for some reason and he tries to figure out a way to get her out. Being exceedingly careful to not move too much, Remus gives his wand a swish and flick, whispering _wingardium_ _leviosa_ as softly as possible. A rock just outside the mouth of the cave lifts up. Remus moves it a little before dropping it down. The rock bounces along a couple of rocks, startling the woman. She then leaves the cave, excitedly whispering to herself. Remus waits until he cannot hear her or anyone else any longer before relaxing. He immediately has an armful of Pep and he runs a hand along her back.

"It's ok. We're ok. I've got you, Pep," Remus mutters, "I've got you."

Remus then decides that they cannot wait here any longer and picks up Helen, who is just now waking up. He carries both of them from the cave and into the night, hoping he can make it to the village without running into anymore of those robed people.

~+~Sirius Black's House~+~

Sirius takes a drink of water and sighs. He hates it when he can't fall asleep. Sirius is about to go up to the roof to look at the stars when he hears footsteps on the stairs leading down to the kitchen. Sirius looks around before ducking into the pantry. He keeps the door open just a bit and frowns when he sees Bellatrix walk in with Tessa Grimwood and the Lestrange brothers.

"Merlin, I didn't think that would be so hard," one of the brothers says.

Tessa rolls her eyes and glares at the man, "It is only difficult because you are inept with a wand."

"I can't believe that we lost those kids," Bellatrix grumbles.

"Well believe it. At least we got the adult male. It's too bad his wife wasn't around. Then we could've taken care of the whole family at once," Lestrange two says.

"What was their name again? That older man looked familiar," Bellatrix says.

"Lupin," Tessa says, "The man was John Lupin. He worked for the Ministry and had three kids….Now he resembles something that a dragon chewed up and spit out."

Sirius feels his heart race and hopes that they can't hear it. After a few moments they leave and Sirius counts to a hundred before getting out of the pantry. He takes a few breaths and stares at the door, wondering what happened to Remus and his sisters, and hoping that they are all right.

~*~AG~*~

I wake up and tap a knob on my side table. The time appears in the air above the table and I groan at the thought of being up so early. However, I know better than to try going to sleep again and just get out and shower and dress. When I get upstairs, father has already left for some meeting or another and no one else is up for the day. I smile and make a cup of coffee. Father has it imported and no one else is allowed to drink it. So, naturally, when he was gone one day and mother, Tessa, and Rowan were somewhere else, I made a cup. And fell in love with the drink. Which means now I try to drink it as much as I can, whenever I can. I bring my coffee to the table and pull the newspaper close. When I see the headline on the newspaper, any thought of delicious coffee goes out the window.

**Lupin cottage attacked!**

_John Lupin, aged thirty eight, died last night defending his home from an attack by unknown persons. Elizabeth Lupin was away at her sisters for the weekend and the Lupins' three children are at an unknown location at this time. The names of their children are not being released until the Daily Prophet has permission from Mrs. Lupin. The Lupin cottage was destroyed in a fire that occurred either before the fight or as a cause of the fight. John Lupin was a Ministry employee for the Department of Mysteries and worked with the Wizengamot as a court scribe. The Auror office was unable to be reached for any information on the case, though a messenger passing through the Ministry stated that the Auror department is doing everything it can to figure out who is the perpetrator in this case as well as searching for the missing Lupin children. For more information on John Lupin, turn to page six. For a history on the Noble family Lupin, turn to page 7._

I set down the paper and close my eyes. _'Dear Merlin, poor Remus.' _I open my eyes, chug the coffee, and then bring the newspaper with me to my room. Father and I are the only ones who read it, so it's not like mother or Tessa will miss it. When I get to my room I just pause for a moment and plan what I'm going to do. Once I've figured it out, I grab some parchment and scribble a quick note to Sirius, James, and Peter. Sirius and Peter because I don't know if they'll know about what happened, and to James because I know his father is an Auror and will probably have more information about the case than what will be printed in the newspaper. Those are finished relatively quickly and I climb to the top of the house and send off the letters before going to the library to find a book to read.

I spend the entire day reading in the library. Oddly enough, mother doesn't come looking for me and neither does Tessa. Rowan walks into the library, but stays away from me. That's perfectly fine, though I admit a little company would have been nice. But since around my eighth birthday, Rowan has wanted nothing to do with me. Which is odd considering how close we were when we were kids. Still, he leaves at around three and it's just me and _Legally and Morally Grey Spells, Hexes, and Curses _in the room.

"Annalisa."

I look up and frown when I see father standing at the door. He shouldn't be home until around five in the evening. I look at the clock and want to shove my head in my book. It's a quarter to six and I didn't even realise that the time had passed so quickly.

"Yes father?" I ask, standing.

"You need to dress in formal clothing. All of the families are meeting tonight and the presence of the family heirs is mandatory," father says.

I feel my heart stop for a moment, but nod, "Yes father."

He leaves the room and I sigh. I really don't feel like being in formal robes. They're so stuffy. And of course, I'm going to get a lot of weird looks because I'm going to be the only female heir in the Noble and Ancient families, and one of the few female heirs out of all of the families. The only thing that is somewhat exciting is that I'll be able to see Sirius and James. If only Remus would be there for sure.

Shaking my head, I quickly take one of the old servant's halls to the back staircase and that all the way down to the basement. Though Grimwood Residence is not as old as the main Manor, it is still old enough that there were muggle and squib servants that worked in place and alongside the house elves. When that practice was outlawed, the muggles and squibs were obliviated but the halls and staircases that they used stayed. They're very useful for getting around Grimwood Residence without being seen.

I reach my room and quickly change, brushing lint off of my apparel and pulling my hair into a pony tail. A quick twist of the heir's ring on my finger and I look the part that I am supposed to play. I pause for a moment before placing my sword on my hip. If we're going where I think we are, then I will need it just in case. Another quick glance at my appearance to be sure that everything is in place and then I leave for the main entrance. Father arrives a moment after me and nods his approval.

"We will be apparating to Mountall's. Remember everything that you have been taught and that you are representing this family," father says. A moment later he grabs my arm, squeezes, and disapparates.

When we apparate onto Mountall's front stoop and walk in. It's quieter in the restaurant than I have ever seen it. Mountall's is set up so that the further back in the restaurant you go, the higher you are. Each level is set on platforms, one above the last, raising in height by about two feet. As such, there are four levels. The first level, equal with the ground when patrons walk in, is completely empty. The second level has several of the Noble families seated already, some of them speaking with each other in hushed tones. There's a rather conspicuous space where the Lupin family should be. The third level has all of the Noble families, which includes the Prince and Lestrange families. The final level is where the Noble and Ancient families are located. The only family not currently present from this level is the Most Noble and Ancient house of Black. However, since the meeting does not begin until the Blacks are here, they could arrive in three days and be considered on time.

"Lord Grimwood," Miguel Mountall, the owner of the restauraunt, gives a short bow, "I ask that you please give your wands to Jacques, as there are no wands allowed into the restaurant."

Father and I both hand over our wands. I feel almost naked without it, but am glad that I brought my sword with me. Often, if the Lords are discussing something and an argument breaks out, then the heir will act as a body guard to the Lord. I keep a hand on my sword and hope that I won't have to draw it.

Miguel Mountall nods, "Please follow me. We have had your usual chair brought in."

"Very good. As always it is a pleasure Miguel, though I wish I was here under better circumstances than current," father says.

We follow Mountall to the top level and father sits in his chair, leaving the middle chair, Lord Black's chair, the only open spot on this level. I stand behind him and to his right. The rest of the Noble and of the Ancient families arrive, excepting the Lupins, and now we're all just waiting on the Blacks. It does not take long for the door to open again and Lord Black walks in with Sirius following behind him. I don't see a scabbard on Sirius's hip, but know that does not mean anything. Sirius is excellent with throwing knives and that he probably has quite a few on him.

After they surrender their wands, they both ascend to the fourth level. Everyone in the restaurant who is sitting stands and waits for Lord Black to take his seat before they resume their seats. Sirius catches my eye and a twitch of his lip works as a greeting. I quirk an eyebrow before turning my attention back to what is at hand.

"I thank you all for coming with such short notice," Lord Black says, "For those of you who have not taken notice of the Daily Prophet or any other news source, an attack has been made on the Noble house of Lupin. The current location of the heir or the proxy of the family is unknown at this current time-"

The door opens again and two hooded figures walk into the restaurant. Mountall rushes over from a back room to intercept the two people. I grip my sword, wondering what's going on and if these people are here on accident, or if they have some ulterior motive. Before Mountall can reach the figures, the smaller one lowers their hood and I feel my heart rate pick up.

"I apologize for our tardiness. However, due to the events of the last twenty four hours, I beg for leniency," Remus says, removing his outer cloak. He nods to Mountall before turning back to the gathered crowd.

Lord Black nods, "Of course Mister Lupin. Might I ask who is with you?"

"Certainly, Lord Black. This is my mother, Elizabeth Lupin. She is acting as proxy until I reach my majority, though I do share many of the responsibilities that she has in the position," Remus says, "May we take our positions, Lord Black?"

Lord Black motions to where the Lupins are to be and Remus and his mother quickly take their positions, her seated with Remus behind her.

"Well, I believe the information about the missing Lupins that I just gave should be discarded," Lord Black says, "Now, if someone knows anything about the attack on the Noble house of Lupin, step forward at this time."

No one moves. Lord Black's eyes narrow.

"Very well," he whispers. In a louder voice he says, "There is a possibility that whoever is the cause of this catastrophe may attempt further attacks on any one of the families gathered here. As such, I caution each and every one of you to check your wards and to be extra alert. If you see, hear, or know anything, you may address any concerns that you have to Lord Potter, the Bones family, the Levvette family, or the McKinnon family. They all either are Aurors, or have Aurors within their families. If you do not feel comfortable speaking with one of them, you may come to myself and I shall pass on your message."

There are nods all around and I wonder if anyone knows anything.

The meeting continues for a while longer, with various things being discussed. I keep my eyes open for anyone who may be acting out of line, but so far, there's nothing. Lord Black finally ends the meeting and a lot of the Lords and various families gather into different groups and discuss politics, the Lupins, or deals that they wish to make. I wait a moment before clearing my throat to catch my father's attention.

"Father, I was wondering if I may go and give my condolences to Remus Lupin on behalf of our family?" I ask.

Father pauses, watching me for a moment before nodding, "Very well."

I bow and then make my way to Remus, who is apparently trying to get away from a group of people that have cornered him. I almost smile as I walk up to him and everyone who is gathered around stops talking or trying to get closer to him or his mother. I stand in front of the Lupins, Remus giving a quick bow and a wink, and wait for a moment. When none of the people who are around move, I raise an eyebrow.

"If you do not mind, I would appreciate a moment to speak with the Lupins alone. You may pester him with your petty questions at a later time," I say, keeping my voice level. All of the gathered leeches then leave and I feel slightly smug.

Remus smiles, "Thank you Ann, they were getting rather tiresome."

I nod, "Of course. Anything for a friend."

"Oh! I should probably introduce you," Remus steps aside, "Mum, this is Annalisa Grimwood, Ann, this is my mother, Elizabeth Lupin."

I bow to her, "It is a pleasure to meet you madam, though I wish it were under better circumstances. Also, I give you my condolences for the loss of your husband. From stories that I have heard from Remus, he sounded like a remarkable man."

Mrs. Lupin smiles, "Thank you. I have to admit, I was shocked when I found out that Remus was friends with members of the Noble and Ancient families. I also should apologize as I thought that you might have been using him."

"No madam. Remus is truly a wonderful friend," I say. I notice that Remus is blushing and smirk, "And I'm sure that if James and Sirius were here, they would admit the same thing."

"Indeed we would."

I turn and then take a step to the right, deferring Sirius to the lead position. James is standing just to Sirius's left and he smiles at me. I nod and relax a bit, feeling slightly less out of place now that all of us, excepting Peter, are here. We talk for a while until the door opens again.

"Am I missing anyone from the count?" I ask Sirius. When he shakes his head, I put my hand on my sword and go on edge. Five black robed figures walk into the room. Four out of the five are wearing bone white masks while the fifth is wearing a silver one. I notice Remus tense up and step in front of his mother.

"Remus, what's wrong?" James asks.

"It's them," Remus whispers, "They're the ones who attacked us last night."

Hearing that, I nearly draw my blade, but hold back and wait to see what they want.

"Who are you to disturb us?" Lord Black asks, his voice deeper and darker. He does not sound pleased at all.

The person in the middle steps forward, "We are an envoy from our Lord. We ask that we be granted a hearing with this mighty gathering for a mere moment before being on our way."

"And just whom is your _Lord_?" Lord Black asks.

"We are of Lord Voldemort. At current, we only request that the members of the Noble house of Lupin be handed over to us, as we have unfinished business with them," silver mask says.

My eyes narrow and I step in front of Remus. I notice from the corner of my eye that Sirius and James have done the same thing.

"That request cannot be fulfilled," Lord Black says, "As it is, you are lucky that the Aurors present in our company do not have their wands, or else you would be in jail."

Silver mask nods, "Of course. However, I am afraid that my request was less of an actual request, and more of a politely termed demand. Give us the Lupin children and their mother or else we shall set this entire establishment ablaze with all of you in it."

"Your idle threats are worthless. Anyone who is remotely intelligent knows that the wards that are on this building would stop any such attempt," father says, stepping in to assist Lord Black, "Be gone from here, or you will be locked in until Aurors arrive."

Silver mask looks to his four accomplices and nods once. All four of them rush toward where we are standing. I wait until they are about ten feet away and draw my sword. I see Sirius next to me, his knives in hand, while James is next to him with a metal flail. Sirius nods and I step forward.

"You are not welcome here. Leave now and you may live. Stay any longer and you shall be treated as a threat, not only to a Noble family, but also to every single family that is within this building. An act which would validate any countermeasure taken to eliminate said threat, including killing you. Unless you desire to see this outcome, leave," I say.

When the person on my right moves their hand inside their robe, I make a shallow cut on their upper arm. The person screams, declaring themselves female in gender, and steps away. The other three watch her leave before turning back to us. I raise an eyebrow and frown. "Was I not articulate enough for you?"

Silver mask claps their hands twice, bringing the three white masks to him. He turns and watches as Sirius, James, and I do not move or relax. For a moment, I swear that if you were to look under his mask, that he'd be smiling.

"We shall have to keep tabs on you, Sirius Black, Annalisa Grimwood, and James Potter," Silver mask says, then bows, "Fare thee well."

They then leave and I keep watch for a moment longer before wiping my blade off and sheathing it. Whatever is going on, just became more interesting. And, most likely, more dangerous**.**


End file.
